


This Is Gospel

by smac89



Series: The Yggdrasil Chronicles [1]
Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Darcy is a Goddess, F/F, F/M, Happy Birthday Bea, M/M, Now I'm in tasertricks hell, You did this to me, i didn't ask for this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-04-15 14:52:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 32
Words: 171,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4610874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smac89/pseuds/smac89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy knew she wasn't normal. But she could never have imagined exactly how not normal. It involves realm-hopping, world-saving, and the universe's oldest conspiracy. As Darcy tries to unravel the mysteries surrounding her own past, she makes friends and surprising allies, including a certain God of Lies who is not quite as evil as she first thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Where Will You Be Waking Up Tomorrow Morning?

**Author's Note:**

> This is a birthday present to my dear friend, Bea, who has turned me into tasertricks trash. Bea, this is all your fault and I hate you. Not really. I love you. Thanks for being my one friend I can really fangirl with, and for putting up with all my ridiculous headcanons. You're an amazing person.

Darcy Lewis was not a superhero. She had never been experimented on by a mad scientist nor bitten by a radioactive whatever. She did not have a secret identity. She had no intention of saving the world, and she absolutely would never, ever wear a cape.

Darcy Lewis was also not human.

Or maybe she was. She wasn't quite sure.

She sure as hell wasn't normal.

Darcy was eight years old when strange things started happening to her. At first it was small things, things no one noticed but her. Like when she was playing outside and suddenly found herself surrounded by hundreds of butterflies all fluttering around her in increasing spirals. Or that any cat, no matter how mean, always purred at her and rubbed against her legs.

(Dogs, however, not so much.)

When Darcy was twelve years old, she started talking in her sleep. According to her three older brothers, it was incomprehensible gibberish, and there was much teasing. Her parents were concerned and consulted a sleep expert, who gave them recording equipment. Darcy watched the videos of herself sleeping over and over, trying to understand what she was saying, to no avail.

The dreams started when Darcy was thirteen, the night she got her first period. She dreamed of a golden chamber with cold floors and a giant in gold armor with a flaming sword. She dreamed she sat on the cold floor, unaffected by the temperature despite her thin pajamas, and talked to the giant for hours in the same strange gibberish she spoke in her sleep. But the trauma of waking up to bloodstained clothing and experiencing menstrual cramps for the first time drove the dream right out of her head the next morning.

And that's when the really weird things started happening.

Darcy always had an umbrella when it rained, even if the forecast said it was clear. She knew the date of every pop quiz at school, and what they were serving for lunch in the cafeteria before it was announced. She knew which cheerleader was secretly dating which football player, and who spraypainted the lockers in the boy's locker room.

And every night her period started, she dreamed of the golden chamber and the golden giant, and each time, the language they spoke became a little more clear. 

XxxXxxX

"Darcy. Psst. Darcy."

"What?" Darcy asked, exasperated. She looked up from her laptop at her friend sitting across from her. 

"Do him," Angela said, pointing at a morose-looking young man using one of the library's public computers.

Darcy sighed and pushed her glasses up her nose, squinting at the man in question. "Sagittarius. Vegan. Smokes pot. Listens to Slipknot. Allergic to dogs." She went back to glaring at the word document on her computer screen, which mocked her with its blank whiteness. She turned her scowl on the stack of textbooks on the table next to the computer.

"I freakin' hate psychology," she muttered. "Why did I take psychology? I'm in poli sci. Poli sci is not even a real science."

"The professor was hot and you needed the science credit," Angela replied, tapping her pen against her notebook. Her attention was not on her notes, as it should have been, but on a well-groomed student reading the school newspaper on the couches nearby. "What about him?"

"Ange, I am not going to find you a boyfriend," Darcy said, digging her own pile of notes out of her backpack.

"Well, what else is your weird mindreader radar skills good for?" Angie asked, leaning back in her chair. "Just do it, okay?"

Darcy pressed her lips together in an annoyed line and looked at the other student over the tops of her glasses. "He's gay," she said abruptly, and went back to her work.

"What's your deal?" Angela asked. "You're usually more fun."

"Maybe. When I don't have six finals to prep for."

"Please," Angela scoffed. "You have straight A's and extra credit in, like, all your classes. You could bomb all your finals and still pass."

Darcy looked up from her books. "Ange, I love you, but please remember that some of us don't have daddy paying for us to go to Culver. Some of us are here on merit scholarships that we will lose if we get below a C."

Angela looked affronted. "Hey, I get above a C," she protested. Darcy raised an eyebrow and went back to her books. Angela reached over and put her hand on Darcy's arm.

"Darce, will you at least let Cam and me take you out tonight? As a going away party? I mean, you are disappearing off the face of the earth for all of winter break."

"I'm only going to New Mexico," Darcy corrected. "Fine. But only because I don't have class tomorrow."

Angela grinned. "Great! I'll be at your dorm at seven to pick your outfit." She scooped up her backpack and pranced off.

"I don't need you to pick out my outfit," Darcy mumbled after her. She shook her head and turned back to her paper. "I got this," she whispered to herself. She twisted her hair up into a knot and secured it with a pen. "You're my bitch."

XxxXxxX

Darcy woke up in the golden chamber the way she usually did, curled up on her side on the cold floor. She blinked a couple of times and groaned. "Son of a bitch."

"Is the sight of me that unwelcome?" asked a smooth, deep voice off to the side.

Darcy pushed herself into a sitting position. "No. I just realized that I'm going to have period cramps and a hangover when I wake up tomorrow."

The gold-armoured giant raised his eyebrows at her from where he sat on the edge of the dais, his helmet beside him. "Then perhaps you should have not imbibed so deeply. What cause had you to celebrate?"

Darcy was still wearing the clothes she had worn to the bar. With a sigh, she undid the straps of the sky-high platform shoes Angela had convinced her to wear. "My internship that starts next week. Angela and Cameron decided I needed to be sent away 'in style.' Which involved tequila." She made a face. "And strippers. Oh my god. Why was there a stripper?"

The giant gazed at her with eyes the same color as his armor. "I do not think you desire to waste your time here with such facetious questions."

Darcy shook her head violently, feeling her hair come loose from its pins. "No," she agreed. "I have so many more important questions."

"Then let us get the first few out of the way," the giant answered. "My name is Heimdall. No, you will not remember this in the morning, and no, I cannot tell you why."

Darcy blinked a couple of times, feeling put out. "I ask those questions a lot, huh?"

"Every time," the giant confirmed.

Darcy sat cross-legged and propped her elbows on her knees. "Fine. Then can you tell me why on earth I signed up for an astrophysics internship in the middle of New Mexico when I could have taken the internship with Stark Industries PR group?"

"Because you are needed in New Mexico," Heimdall said as if it were obvious.

Darcy growled in frustration. "Why are you always so mysterious? Like, can I get a straight answer for once? I still don't even know what language we are speaking."

"You will know when it is time for you to know," Heimdall told her, and she had the feeling he had told her many times before.

Darcy sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Fine. Uh, I had another question. I went home on Thanksgiving break to visit my aunt, 'cause she'd just had a baby, and when I saw the kid for the first time, for a second I just, like, knew everything about him. Like, what he was going to do when he grew up and who he was going to marry and even the names of his kids, but then the next second it was all gone. Just poof." Darcy made an exploding gesture with one hand. "Like, I remember that I knew it, but I can't actually remember it. What's up with that?"

Heimdall nodded wisely. "You are growing stronger. You will recover more of your abilities as you age. Perhaps not in this lifetime, but each death moves you closer to your next birth."

Darcy stared at him. "Wow. Did that actually make sense in your head? Because when you said it out loud it kinda lost its meaning."

"You are different than other humans, Darcy Lewis," Heimdall told her gravely. "You live, you die, you live again. Your body does not remember, but your soul does. And in time, so will you."

"You are so useless," Darcy groaned. "What even is the point of you bringing me here? You don't answer my questions and I don't even remember any of it."

"I don't bring you here," Heimdall said.

"Then who the hell does?" Darcy burst out. "Why am I like this? Out of everyone on Earth, why do I get hit with all the weirdness?"

"No one brings you here," Heimdall repeated. "You only have yourself to blame, Darcy Lewis."

She stared at him. "Wait. Are you--are you saying I choose to come here?" She pointed at the floor. "Here, specifically. To this specific place?"

Heimdall spread his hands. "I have always been flattered you chose to put your trust in me," he said with a faint smile.

Darcy's eyes got wide. "So...does this mean I could choose to go somewhere else? I mean, other than this room? What other places are there? And where is here?"

Heimdall's smile grew. "As for that, I can show you." He rose to his feet and walked to the center of the dais, where is sword rested in its stand. Taking hold of the hilt, he pushed it downwards, and the walls of the chamber started to spin.

Darcy lunged to her feet, deciding that this was definitely not going to help her hangover, but before she felt like she was going to throw up, the chamber stopped rotating. Heimdall nodded over her shoulder. "Look," he ordered.

She turned around slowly. The wall had disappeared behind her, exposing a vast expanse of stars. There were millions of them, far denser than anything she had seen before, shining bright as diamonds against an expanse of purple and black and green and blue.

"Holy shit," she whispered, unable to catch her breath. She took a step forward, then another. "It's beautiful. Am I--are we in space? Am I on a spaceship?"

"No," Heimdall said with a chuckle. He stepped off the dais to stand beside her, towering over her much smaller frame. "We are at the edge of my world, and this is the bridge to the other Realms."

"Bridge," Darcy repeated, still staring out at the stars.

"Bifrost," Heimdall clarified. "You may read of it on your world. You have legends of it from many ages ago."

"How come you never showed me this before?" Darcy asked.

Heimdall shrugged with the sound of scraping metal. "You never asked."

That brought Darcy out of her shock. She glared up at him. "You are such an asshole."

He nodded in agreement. "You have told me this many times."

Darcy turned to look back at the stars. "Can we do this again? Next time?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes," he said. "As many times as you desire, Darcy Lewis."

Darcy smiled. "Awesome."

XxxXxxX

The airport was a mad scramble as airports were wont to be this close to the holidays. Darcy clutched her bags close as she jostled for room during the rush to get out of the terminal. When she finally did get outside, she realized that her heavy winter coat was entirely too much for the mild desert winter. There was three feet of snow on the ground back home in Pennsylvania, where she had started from that morning.

Standing on the curb, Darcy looked up and down the pick up area. She wasn't sure who was picking her up. She'd emailed her itinerary to the head of the internship but had only received a vague reply from Dr. Foster. She had no idea why she chose this internship over the Stark Industries one. Just another clue that Darcy Lewis had a one-way ticket on the crazy train.

As Darcy did a second scan of the cars lined up at the curb, she noticed an extremely petite woman with brown hair bobbing up and down amongst the crowd as if she was hopping in place trying to see over everyone's heads. Darcy focused on the woman for a moment, amused, and then shocked when she recognized her from the photo on the school website. Darcy forced her way through the crowd with her usual abrupt manner.

"Dr. Foster?" Darcy asked when she got closer to the woman. The woman's expression turned from confused concern to relief.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, breathless. "You must be Darcy. I'm Jane. Hi." She thrust her hand out towards Darcy.

"Hi," Darcy replied, shock turning back to amusement. "I must be Darcy. Good to meet you, Dr. Foster."

"Call me Jane," the other woman said. "When people call me 'doctor' I expect them to be old men wondering why I need funding. Come on. I had to park the van around the corner."

Jane turned out to be pretty speedy despite her height, and Darcy had to struggle to keep up with her while carrying enough luggage to last her four months. She didn't feel bitter about Jane not helping her, the poor woman looked barely able to carry a purse, much less one of Darcy's overstuffed duffel bags. She wondered when the last time Jane had had something to eat.

"The van" turned out to be a tank-like monstrosity that barely fit in the parking lane and, when Jane opened the side door so Darcy could throw her bags in, was nearly packed full of monitoring equipment. "Wow," Darcy said as she carefully slid her bags into the meager empty space. "I had no idea astrophysics needed so much stuff."

"Most of it I made myself," Jane told her brightly. "It's pretty user-friendly. You'll pick it up in no time."

"Yeah...I don't think that's a good idea," Darcy said, deflating, but Jane had already circled around to the driver's side and didn't hear her. Darcy had to pull herself up into the passenger seat. Perhaps Jane had a stepladder on the driver's side. Seriously, this lady was tiny.

"So we're mainly working out of Puente Antiguo but I've had to drive two or three hours into the desert a few nights, so we have to be pretty mobile," Jane explained as she pulled her beast of a vehicle away from the curb. "We do have a fully functional lab with remote access to Culver databases and computing engines, so that's cool!"

"Uh-huh," Darcy said non-committedly, wondering when would be the right time to admit she was just in poli sci.

"I don't know how much they told you, but what I really need right now is data entry and graphing, logistics, site mapping, pretty basic stuff."

Darcy relaxed a little. "Oh, okay. That's cool. I can do that."

"I gotta ask you, though. I saw your major was political science. Why did you apply for this internship?"

Darcy smiled weakly. "Change of scenery?" she suggested. Because I'm needed here, she didn't add, because that was way too far out and besides, who says that sort of crap?

Jane gave her a sidelong look. "Yeah, I can imagine you'd wanna get out of Virginia during the winter but I should warn you, it gets cold in the desert at night. You'll want that big jacket you're wearing."

"Fantastic," Darcy said, because she loved the cold. The colder the better. She loved breath-cloud, red-nose, numb-cheek cold in a way poor Bube Rosa, who lost three toes to frostbite during the war, said was disgraceful.

"It's about three hours to Puente Antiguo from here, so we should probably stop somewhere and get you something to eat," Jane said. "I know this really good barbecue place. They make a mean pulled pork."

"Nah, I'm good," Darcy said, even though her stomach was growling.

"Are you sure?" Jane asked, looking at her with a frown. "It's a long flight from Pennsylvania. I'm sure you're starving."

"Yeah, it's just...I'm Jewish," Darcy replied lamely.

"Oh!" Jane's face lit up. "I know this place with amazing knishes. It's on the way!"

Darcy decided then and there she was going to like Jane Foster.

XxxXxxX

Darcy sat with her legs hanging off the edge of the golden room, watching the stars wheel by between the toes of her fuzzy socks. "This is such bull," she said out loud. "I've been there for a month, and nobody needs me yet."

"Patience, child," Heimdall said. He sat next to her, starlight glinting from his armor. "The stars turn as they will. You cannot rush them."

Darcy let her head fall back. "You are such a pain in my ass. I don't even know why I come here anymore."

"It is because you are still searching," Heimdall told her. "When you have found yourself, you will know your way."

Darcy turned to look at him, exasperated. "You totally stole that from a fortune cookie."

He raised an eyebrow. "How do you know they did not steal this from me?"

"Whatever," Darcy said, waving a hand at him. "I mean, Jane's great. All I gotta do is feed her, water her, and point her in the right direction and she just takes care of herself. I like driving the monster. She lets me drive the monster."

"I assume you refer to the motor conveyance?" 

"Car. It's called a car. Dude. What century are you from?"

"I was born before your people even invented the wheel, Darcy Lewis," Heimdall admonished her gently.

"My people?" Darcy echoed. She stared hard at Heimdall. "So...you're not human?"

"Neither are you," Heimdall pointed you. "But they are your people, nonetheless."

Darcy sighed hard. "You are cryptic as fuck, bro."

Heimdall nodded sagely in agreement.

XxxXxxX

The first thing Darcy thought when she laid eyes on Dr. Selvig was, alright now shit's gonna start happening. Which was crazy because Dr. Selvig was everything Darcy ever wanted in a kindly uncle figure and was the exact opposite of the definition of "happening." But Darcy knew better than to doubt her gut feeling because they were always, always, right.

But for the first few hours after Dr. Selvig's arrival, he and Jane just talked science to each other and calibrated their equipment while Darcy downloaded songs onto her iPod. Hey, it was a long drive into the desert and she wasn't distracted by blinky lights in the sky.

When they were finally ready to head out into the desert to observe Jane's "celestial event," Darcy agreed to drive with the one caveat that they eat before they left. Jane knew every good restaurant in a thirty-mile radius but she would forget to eat for three days if Darcy let her.

One of Darcy's many duties that was not in the job description was make sure that Jane got regular meals. And, since this was America, very few of the places that delivered were Kosher, so Darcy, as usual, was forced to do most of their cooking. Which meant all those years forced to hang on to Bube Rosa's apron strings were finally paying off.

She'd made salmon with lemon dill sauce because Dr. Selvig was from Sweden, and didn't they eat a lot of salmon in Sweden? Darcy had heard of rumors of fermented fish but she couldn't remember which Scandinavian country it came from. Of course, neither Jane nor Dr. Selvig even tasted their food as they were too busy sciencing as they wolfed it down.

"Philistines," Darcy muttered to herself.

Darcy played her new songs over the monster's radio during the drive out to the desert and sang quietly along while Jane and Dr. Selvig prepared the equipment in the back. After a little while Dr. Selvig stopped to listen and Darcy trailed off, embarrassed.

"No, no, I am sorry," Dr. Selvig said, looking equally embarrassed. "I simply had no idea you spoke such good Norwegian."

Darcy stared at him. "I...don't," she said slowly, eyes wide.

"Oh." Dr. Selvig's embarrassment grew. "I'm sorry. I thought I heard...ah, never mind. I'm certain sometimes I'm going deaf. It's nothing."

Darcy nodded uneasily and turned her attention back to the desert. Holy crap, she thought to herself. Was I speaking Norwegian? Since when do I know Norwegian? She made a face. And why the hell Norwegian?

They waited at the site for over two hours. Darcy had seen Jane's event already, like, four times, and wasn't really interested in seeing it again. Instead she googled Norwegian language on her phone (who knew you could still get 4g in the middle of the desert) and found, to her surprise, that yes, she did know Norwegian.

What the actual fuck.

"Can I turn on the radio?" she asked Jane as she put her phone down, hands shaking. The music would help her get over the shock.

"No," Jane replied shortly.

Darcy took a few deep breaths and stared out the windshield, trying to calm herself down again. It was okay. She could handle weird. She'd been handling weird her whole life.

Speaking of weird... "Jane," Darcy called uneasily. "You really need to see this!"

Jane and Selvig both dropped back into the van and leaned over the driver seat. "I thought you said it was a subtle aurora," Selvig said.

"Drive!" Jane commanded.

Drive. Yeah. Drive right into the rainbow tornado of doom. Darcy hated her life sometimes. Especially when bossy scientists tried to grab the wheel away from her and then hit someone with the bloody monster.

"Technically that was your fault!" Darcy yelled at Jane as she stumbled out of the van.

"Get the first aid kit!" Jane yelled back.

Darcy turned to obey when she caught sight of the man they'd hit. "Whoa. Does he need CPR?" she asked. "Because I totally know CPR." He was hot. Like, lumberjack-live-off-the-land hot. Before they could assess any injuries, the man climbed to his feet and started yelling at the sky. Darcy only caught a few words, but she distinctly heard him say "Heimdall" and "Bifrost."

She knew those words. She knew those words. She recognized them on a level so deep she could feel her whole body vibrate with the knowledge, and it freaked her out. She panicked, and did the only thing she could think of.

She tased the guy.

XxxXxxX

When Darcy woke up to a starry sky and the sound of waves, with the gold-armored giant standing over her, she instantly jumped to her feet.

"This is Asgard!" she yelled excitedly. "Holy shit, I'm in Asgard. You're Heimdall. I remember! This is incredible! I am not, actually, crazy! This is a real place. You're a real person. Oh, my God, wait until Jane hears about this! Where is Thor? I need to talk to him, like, right now." She looked around and realized that she was not, in fact, inside the golden room. "Where are we?"

Heimdall nodded over her shoulder. She whirled around. They were outside, standing on a wide bridge of some kind of rainbow-colored crystal. A few meters behind Darcy, the bridge ended in a shattered, jagged edge, beyond which was only empty space and stars.

"The Bifrost has been destroyed," Heimdall told her.

"Bifrost," Darcy repeated. "That's how Thor came to earth, right?"

"Yes," Heimdall confirmed.

"So...Thor can't come back, can he?" Darcy asked, her mood falling.

"No," Heimdall replied.

"Oh," Darcy said in a small voice. "Jane is not going to be happy." She heaved a deep sigh. "What happened?"

"Loki tried to use the Bifrost to destroy Jotunheim," Heimdall explained. "Thor was forced to destroy it to stop him."

"What happened to Loki?" Darcy asked, scowling. "Because he totally tried to kill us back on earth."

"Loki was lost," Heimdall said gravely. "The royal family is in mourning."

"Why?" Darcy demanded. "He sounds like a dick."

"He was still the king's son," Heimdall said firmly. "And he was Thor's brother. Whatever happened between them, that did not change."

"I guess," Darcy said, shuffling her feet. She sighed again. "Great. So now I have to tell Jane that Thor isn't coming back anytime soon. She's gonna be devastated."

"Telling her this would reveal your gift to her," Heimdall pointed out. "Are you ready for such exposure?"

Darcy thought about this for a long time. "No," she finally decided. "I don't even know what's going on with me. I can't try to explain this to someone else." She looked up at Heimdall. "I still want to talk to Thor."

"The royal family is in seclusion," Heimdall told her. "Soon there will be no time for mourning, so they must take what little time they have."

"Okay," Darcy said unhappily. "But now that I know who you are and where this is, are you going to give me some straight answers now?"

"The language we speak is what your people call ancient Norse," Heimdall said. "We call it the First Tongue, which we spoke before Allspeak."

"Fantastic," Darcy said sarcastically. "Somehow I learned ancient Norse in my dreams. Great. Why?"

"I see only the present, Darcy Lewis," Heimdall told her. "Your future is shrouded from me. But know this, whatever the future holds for you, it will decide the fates of both earth and Asgard."

"So no pressure, then," Darcy said, crossing her arms and hugging herself.

XxxXxxX

Over the next three months, Jane was obsessed with searching for some kind of connection with Asgard. Darcy didn't have the heart to tell her that it was hopeless, or that her internship was rapidly coming to an end. In fact, a week before the internship was over, Jane still hadn't mentioned the fact that Darcy was leaving. Jane was making plans months out and made it clear Darcy was part of them.

So Darcy called her parents and told them she wasn't coming home for a while, and then called her counselor at Culver and switched to online classes.

In her copious free time (read: not much), Darcy went into her own research mode. She read everything she could find on Asgardian culture, lore, and myth. When she dream-traveled to Asgard the next time, she asked Heimdall to take her into the city, to the nearest library. It was huge. Like, the entire Culver campus could fit inside the building. And, of course, she could only visit it once every twenty-eight days.

Until the day she dream-traveled twice in a row. It was five months after Thor had left and Jane was starting to lose momentum. Darcy had more time for her own projects but was similarly getting nowhere. Her eight hour trip to the Asgardian library had once again ended in failure. But when she went to sleep the next night, she woke up curled in one of the ridiculously comfortable chairs in the library.

"Holy crap," Darcy whispered, looking around. Heimdall was nowhere to be seen. He met her here, in the same place every month, with an Asgardian robe to cover her earth clothing. Darcy sat perfectly still, unsure of what to do next. She slowly got up and looked around again. There was nobody in this section of the library, which was a mercy, because she was wearing sweat pants and a My Neighbor Totoro t-shirt. As usual, it was chilly in the cavernous building but, also as usual, Darcy wasn't bothered.

Darcy set off on bare feet toward the tiny corner of the library dedicated towards Midgard and all things earth. It might take up only a fraction of the library, but there were still thousands of books she had yet to even touch.

Most of the books were written in Allspeak, which was a little disorienting at first, but a few were written in ancient Norse. Those were the books Darcy gravitated to first. She felt a connection with the language for a reason she couldn't explain. She chose a book that looked fairly promising and sat on the floor to read. 

"Hello, child," said a female voice.

Darcy gave a little scream and dropped the book, scrambling backwards until her back hit the shelf. A woman stood over her, tall and regal with elaborately coiffed blonde hair and wearing a blue gown. She was not young, but still beautiful, the weight of wisdom in her smooth face.

At Darcy’s startled reaction, the woman held up her hands in a peaceful gesture. “My apologies. I did not realize how enraptured you were in your book.”

Darcy shoved to her feet, back still against the bookshelf. “I’m allowed to be here,” she blurted. “Heimdall said it was okay.”

“I do not doubt that,” the woman assured Darcy. “I did not intend to challenge you. I simply have not seen you here before, and this is one of my domains.”

“Oh,” Darcy said. She wrung her hands together, desperately wishing she was wearing something other than her pajamas. “I’m Darcy Lewis.”

“You are human?” the woman asked, tilting her head curiously.

“Yeah,” Darcy replied, wondering how much she should tell this person.

“Interesting,” the woman murmured. She extended her hand cordially. “I am Lady Frigga. It is a pleasure to meet you, Darcy Lewis.”

Darcy took the proffered hand. “Same,” she said.

“How did you come to be here, Darcy Lewis?” Frigga asked, releasing her hold on Darcy. “Our realm is closed to travellers at this time.”

“Because Thor destroyed the Bifrost, yeah, I heard,” Darcy said. She bobbed her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s...kind of a long story.”

Frigga smiled encouragingly. “I have time to hear it, if you are willing.”

Darcy hesitated again. This woman was a total stranger, but something about her felt right. Darcy’s gut instinct was to trust Frigga, and Darcy’s gut was usually right. So she shrugged and went with it.

“I come here in my sleep,” Darcy told her. “Uh, like astral projection? Sort of dream traveling, I don’t know. I’ve done it since I was a kid.”

Frigga nodded knowingly. “You are a dream-walker. Yes, I know of this. And you speak the First Tongue. Tell me, Darcy Lewis, are you certain you are human?”

Darcy shrugged again with a humorless laugh. “To be honest, I don’t even know anymore. With all the weird crap I can do, it makes me seriously wonder.”

Frigga studied Darcy for a long moment, and then gestured toward the girl. “Follow me,” she ordered. Darcy blinked a couple of times, but then fell into step behind the taller woman as she led her through the stacks.

It took them a while to get to the other side of the library, and Frigga gave no hint of where she was leading Darcy. But again, Darcy’s instincts were telling her she was in no danger. Frigga entered the stacks again and paced slowly along the shelves, running her fingers along the spines of the books.

“Here,” she said at length. “Perhaps this one will have what you seek.” She pulled a book from the shelf and handed it to Darcy. It was heavy, the cover embossed in gold and scarlet, runes carved in circles on the front.

“Thanks?” Darcy said uncertainly.

“The library is at your service for as long as you should need,” Frigga told her. “May your search be fruitful.” With that, she swept off with a grace that Darcy could only envy, and never imitate. With a sigh, Darcy sat cross-legged on the floor and opened the book. She read for a few minutes before looking up in confusion.

“What the hell is a norn?”


	2. Just A Taste Of What You Paid For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Bea! Please don't hate me for how long this took me. You're still the bestest fellow fangirl ever and I love our geek-out sessions. Happy (very belated) Birthday!

Darcy wouldn’t say she was actively avoiding Heimdall, but yes, she was avoiding Heimdall. Had been for the last few months. She hadn’t told him that she was now visiting Asgard three or four days a month, depending on how long her period lasted (and ew, why did it have to be dependent on that of all things?). She hadn’t told him she was pretty sure she knew what she was. She hadn’t told him that she was now pushing the limit of her powers just to see how far she could go.

She was willing to admit that yes, she was a little bitter. After all, Heimdall had known what she was for years and never told her. It would have taken him two seconds to end a lifetime of searching for answers. But no, he had to be Mr. Mysterious and Cryptic, as usual.

So yeah, Darcy was avoiding Heimdall.

So instead of hanging out with him at the Bifrost, Darcy spent most of her time in Asgard either in the library, or in the city, blending in with the crowds of people and exploring. 

Asgard was amazing. Like, mind-blowingly amazing. Darcy saw things that half the time she didn’t even understand. She had moments of guilt, thinking about Jane and how much Jane would love it here, but then she would imagine the look of horror and betrayal that would surely be on Jane’s face if Darcy ever told her the truth, and then Darcy didn’t feel guilty anymore.

It had been almost a year since Thor had crash-landed in the desert and Jane had more or less given up looking for him. Darcy didn’t try to encourage her to keep going, as she knew it was pointless. The Bifrost still hadn’t been repaired, and Darcy herself hadn’t even tried to contact Thor. She’d thought about it, and then decided she wasn’t ready to tell Thor the truth, either. She wanted to wait until she had a better handle on the whole thing.

After all, she didn’t have a whole lot of information on norns.

As far as she could tell, norns were ancient Norse goddesses, enforcers of fate and protectors of Yggdrasil, the world tree. They were also giantesses and most definitely not human. Darcy had no idea how she fit into the picture, but the list of powers the norns had kinda sorta matched the things that she could do.

But the thought that she could be a Norse goddesses was beyond ridiculous. Come on, seriously. She was Jewish.

So for the moment, Darcy set that possibility aside and instead just focused on getting a better handle on her powers.

She could still predict the weather with startling accuracy. The whole cat-whisperer thing was kinda cool, a little creepy. Those critters literally came out of nowhere to say hello to her. And it was a constant thing. Even Jane started to notice it. The butterfly summoning wasn’t really an issue in New Mexico, where there were no butterflies, but she had done it at least three times in Asgard without meaning to. The ability to read people, though, that’s where she struggled the most.

It was hit or miss, really. Sometimes she saw people with perfect clarity, and other times she got absolutely nothing. Jane, for instance, remained stubbornly un-readable, no matter how hard Darcy tried (and boy, did she try). Erik, however, was an open book, on the rare occasion he came around for a visit. Darcy always had this feeling that weird shit was going to happen whenever Erik was around, and she was usually right.

Darcy liked to practice on Asgardians when she was in the city. She’d taken a robe from the palace and hid it in the library to use on her visits, so people didn’t stare at her like a fish out of water. Most Asgardians didn’t even notice her, which was okay in her book, until someone tried to run her over. Seriously, all of them were so freakin’ tall. Darcy wasn’t terribly petite (not like Jane) but the Asgardians towered over her to a ridiculous fashion.

When the man came to offer Jane a job at the observatory in Norway, Darcy knew something was up. She could smell SHIELD all over the man, but when she tried to warn Jane, there was only so much she could say without giving herself away.

"Private jet, Darcy," Jane said.

So they packed up their equipment and headed off to Norway. Hey, at least Darcy spoke the language, right?

There was an apartment waiting for them in Oslo, and after a twelve hour flight, Darcy was ready to crash. So she was not thrilled to wake up standing on the sidewalk in...New York?

"What the hell?" Darcy muttered, turning around in place. She had never dream-walked anywhere except Asgard before. "I'm not even on my period," she whispered to herself.

The people around her were staring up at the sky and pointing, talking excitedly and yelling. Darcy turned around and her mouth fell open. There was a hole in the sky and there were things pouring out of it, things that swooped and skittered over the buildings.

Then the explosions started.

Darcy's first instinct was to run for cover but as she bolted for the nearest building, she had a horrible, sick feeling in her stomach that forced her to a stop in the middle of the street. Other people ran past her, screaming in terror.

"No!" Darcy yelled at them. "Don't go in there!"

One of the flying things tore past overhead, too fast for Darcy to see, and the side of the building exploded, raining debris down on the people trying to take cover. Most of them were crushed by the rubble. 

Darcy pressed her hands to her mouth to hold back a scream of horror. She spun around and realized she was standing in the middle of a long, straight street and there were more of the flying things headed straight for her.

They looked kind of like jetskis, she thought, staring at the crafts bearing down on her. Bolts of energy sizzled through the air and slammed into cars with explosive force. Darcy took a deep breath and held it.

The sounds of chaos around her suddenly went dim and muffled, replaced by a high, crystalline ringing. The attackers became clear and sharp as broken glass while everything else was blurred. Darcy saw the attackers, saw their path, the angle of their attack, the line of their fire.

She saw everything.

She stepped to the side a moment before an energy beam blasted past her, but she didn't flinch, nor did she react at the explosion behind her. She knew what she had to do, and she knew how to do it.

Darcy grabbed the first person who ran past her. "You have to get underground!" she yelled over the ringing in her ears. She pointed to the nearest subway entrance. "Get everyone you can and get them underground!"

She didn't wait to see if her orders were followed. She took off running down the street, weaving in a seemingly random pattern that somehow managed to avoid all of the falling debris.

A shadow darkened the sky overhead and she looked up again. A vast creature swam through the sky as if through the deepest ocean, graceful despite its impossible size and complete disregard for the laws of gravity.

Figures were repelling off the giant creature and landing on the ground and buildings, figures most definitely not human. Darcy pushed that realization aside and kept running. One of the creatures (aliens?) landed near her and leveled his weapon at her. Darcy dropped into a slide to let the energy pulses pass over her and pushed back to her feet.

She reached an underpass where a dozen or so people were huddled under the bridge, crying in fear. Darcy crouched next to them and scanned the sky.

"Okay, here's the play," she said, slightly winded. "There's gonna be a gap in twenty-four seconds. You're gonna make a break for that building and use the basement to get into the subway tunnels. You go down as far as you can and you stay there, got it?"

Darcy looked around at the people, who were staring at her as if she was insane. "Hey!" she yelled at them. "Look alive, people! We've gotta move!" She checked the sky again. "All right, go! Go now!"

When no one budged, Darcy dragged the nearest person to their feet and pushed them towards the building in question. "Move!" she ordered again. She managed to get the others on their feet and heading in the right direction. She followed them to the doors of the building and looked back.

The underpass dissolved into a fireball with enough force to send concrete through the windows of the surrounding buildings. If they had stayed there, no one would have survived.

Darcy took another deep breath and held it, letting the world sharpen into focus. The people in the building behind her were safe now. She had to keep moving.

There was a school bus on its side across the street from her. Darcy mapped a path through the energy pulses and explosions and darted across as fast as her stockinged feet would carry her.

The kids inside the bus were too scared to scream. The bus driver was clearly dead and two of the kids were too injured to move. Darcy picked up one of them and handed her to the biggest student. Then she picked the second one up and cradled him to her chest.

"When I say, you follow me, okay?" she told the kids. "You got that? Follow me."

Darcy kicked out the emergency exit and clambered out of the bus into the street. "Come on!" she yelled at the kids. "Let's go!"

They filed out after her as she led them around the corner and down the stairs into a subway station. Once they were far enough down the track, Darcy put down the child in her arms and turned to the oldest kid. 

"Stay here until an adult comes for you, okay?" She waited until got an affirmative before heading back to street level.

The city was in absolute chaos. Explosions were going off everywhere and people were running in all directions. Darcy choked on bile forcing itself up her throat as she realized she knew the exact second each one of them would die. She had to do something to stop it, stop them all from dying, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out how.

She stood in the middle of the street, confident that she wasn’t in danger at the moment, and focused all of her attention on the portal high over head, trying to glean every bit of information her powers could give her. It was all garbled and unintelligible, like listening to the radio in a different language.

A blur of blue and red landed next to her and a strong grip spun her out of the way of an energy blast that would have missed her by two inches. She pulled free of the grip and looked her new companion up and down. He was wearing an extremely well-tailored outfit of red, white, and blue, including a helmet that partially obscured his face, and a round metal shield, which she instantly recognized.

“Seriously?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “Who the fuck are you supposed to be?”

The man faltered for a moment, caught off-guard by her question. “I’m...I’m, uh, Captain America.”

It was Darcy’s turn to blink at him, nonplussed. “Seriously?” she asked again. Before he could reply, she grabbed his wrist and forced his shield up to catch another energy blast that knocked them back a couple of steps. “Look, whoever you are, this really isn't the best time for making a target of yourself,” Darcy said, dropping his arm.

“You’re one to talk,” the man snapped. “You need to get out of the street, get to cover.”

“There are people who are going to die,” Darcy protested. “I can save them.”

“You are going to get yourself killed,” the man said sharply, and grabbed her arm again to drag her out of the street.

Darcy had only a half second’s warning, not enough time to go for the shield again, so instead she pushed the man out of the way and spun around, just as the blast impacted her chest.

She woke up with a gasp, jerking upright and clawing at her chest. Her shirt was uncharred, her skin unblemished, but her ribs hurt like a son of a bitch. She flung the covers off and went to find Jane. Her friend was in the living room, huddled under a blanket on the couch, eyes fixed on the television.

The news was playing in Norwegian, which of course Darcy didn’t have a problem understanding, but she would have recognized the event regardless. Darcy shuffled into the room. “Jane?” she whispered.

Jane startled and craned her head back to look at Darcy. “I called for you,” she said in a thick voice. “You were asleep.”

Darcy circle the couch and sat next to Jane, who unfolded enough to glom onto Darcy with a faint sob. Darcy clung to Jane just as hard, unable to tear her eyes away from the screen. “It’s okay,” Darcy murmured, stroking Jane’s hair. “I don’t know how, but it’s gonna be okay.”

Jane sniffed, swiping her face with the blanket. “Thor is there,” she said, pointing at the tv. Darcy took a second look to confirm that she was right. How the hell had he gotten there? The bifrost was still inoperable. She said nothing out loud and just held Jane tighter.

XxxXxxX

Darcy marched down the rainbow path, her borrowed robes fluttering around her in the salty wind. She made a beeline towards the golden-armored figure standing at the jagged edge of the bridge. She stopped several yards away and planted her hands on her hips. Heimdall didn’t turn around.

“What,” Darcy said flatly. “The fuck. Is going on?”

“I presume you mean the incident in New York City,” Heimdall replied evenly.

“You presume correctly,” Darcy said icily.

“Loki brought an army to Midgard in an attempt to conquer your world. It appears he was after an artifact held by your people.”

“Loki,” Darcy echoed, crossing her arms. “Great. You know this is the second time I have almost died because of that bastard.”

“I do not dispute this,” Heimdall said, slowly turning around. “But not everything is as it seems, Darcy Lewis. You of all people should know that.”

“Yeah,” Darcy replied, drawing the word out. “You mean like me. Since I’m, you know, a norn. Nice of you to let me know, by the way.”

“And if I had told you what you truly are, would you have pushed yourself so hard to focus your powers?” Heimdall challenged.

Darcy shook her head, nowhere near mollified. “I visited you for years, Heimdall. I trusted you. I relied on you. And the biggest thing in my life is the thing that you’ve been keeping from me.”

“And I will not apologize for it,” Heimdall replied, resting his hands on the hilt of his sword. “I had a reason for everything I did, Darcy Lewis. Remember that you are very, very young, and I am not. I see things that you cannot. Not yet.”

“I want to understand what is going on,” Darcy insisted. “I need to understand.”

Heimdall studied her for a long moment. Darcy raised her chin and squared her shoulders, determined not to bow under the weight of his stare.

“I cannot give you the answers you seek,” Heimdall said at length. Darcy opened her mouth to protest but Heimdall silenced her with a look. “I cannot, because it is not my place to do so. This is a journey you must make alone.”

Darcy took a deep breath to settle her impulsive burst of annoyance. “You suck,” she said at length.

“You may have mentioned this before,” Heimdall said with a sagely nod.

Darcy took a second, unsteady breath. “...And I could really use a hug,” she added, her voice breaking.

Heimdall sheathed his sword with one smooth motion and reached her side in two steps. “Are you unwell?” he asked gently.

Darcy sniffed loudly to hold back tears and looked up at him. “I was there,” she told him. “And I saw so many people die. I felt them die, all of them, felt their pain and fear and…” she shuddered. “And it feels as if something is broken inside me.”

Heimdall reached up and unbuckled his breastplate. He set it aside and did the same with his pauldrons, and his shoulder plates. Once he’d removed all the armor from his upper body, he enveloped Darcy in a bear hug. It was the best hug Darcy had ever been given in her whole life. She closed her eyes and hugged him back as tears leaked down her cheeks. Heimdall smelled like sandalwood and spices, and she had never felt more protected.

Heimdall hugged her until Darcy no longer felt like her chest was full of broken glass, only releasing her when she made the first move to pull away. “Thank you,” she said, and this time her voice broke out of relief, not sorrow.

“You are stronger than you know, Darcy Lewis,” Heimdall told her, staring into her eyes. 

“You can just call me Darcy,” she told him with a small smile.

He smiled back. “I would rather call you by your true name.”

Darcy raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”

He straightened to his full height. “Sigyn,” he told her. He reached out and touched her forehead. “Sleep well, little norn.”

Darcy slept the rest of the night and did not dream. 

XxxXxxX

Jane was passed out on the couch, from where she had not moved in almost two days, watching the news coverage of the attack on New York. Darcy was sending another email to Dr Selvig. He’d been working with SHIELD for the last few months; maybe he had some news on Thor. Normally Darcy would just pop over to Asgard and ask Heimdall herself, but since her last visit she’d been unable to dream-walk. She suspected Heimdall had something to do with it, which was why she wasn’t worried.

A sharp knock on the front door of the apartment startled her and she checked her watch. It was six in the morning, and they weren’t expected at the observatory today. Darcy got up from the kitchen table and shuffled over to the door. She checked through the peephole and sighed.

It was one of the SHIELD agents from New Mexico. She really should have seen this coming. She unlocked the door and yanked it open. “What?” she demanded, glaring at the agent.

He looked taken aback at her aggression and it took him a moment to reply. “I’m here to speak with Dr. Foster.”

“She’s unavailable,” Darcy said. “I’ll take a message.”

“It’s about her colleague, Dr. Selvig,” the agent explained.

Darcy’s stomach dropped. “Is Erik okay?” she demanded, her grip tightening on the doorknob.

“I’m here to speak with Dr. Foster,” the agent repeated firmly.

Darcy narrowed her eyes. “Agent...Sitwell, right? Let me remind you that I am not just Dr. Foster’s intern, I am her personal assistant, caretaker, and friend. I have full access to all parts of her work, including her work for SHIELD. Let me further remind you that I am one of the few people who knows what really happened in New Mexico and SHIELD really wants me to keep my mouth shut, but can’t actually do anything to me if I don’t, given that Thor will probably kick all of your asses if anything happens to me, or by extension, Jane. Also, I tased Thor. And if I’m willing to do that to a Norse god, just imagine what I’d be willing to do to your scrawny human ass.”

She crossed her arms and glared at Sitwell. “So let me ask you again. Is Erik okay?”

Sitwell stared at her for a couple of seconds. “Dr. Selvig is currently being hospitalized for injuries he sustained during the incident in New York.”

“Oh, my god,” Darcy whispered. She turned around and walked back into the apartment, going straight to the couch and shaking Jane awake. “Jane. Jane, wake up. SHIELD is here. Something happened to Erik.”

“What?” Jane mumbled blearily, rubbing her eyes. 

“Erik is in the hospital,” Darcy told her. Jane shot upright, looking around wildly.

“What?” she asked again. “What happened?”

Darcy turned expectantly to Agent Sitwell, who had followed her into the apartment. Sitwell took a deep breath. “When Loki first arrived, he used unfamiliar technology to create some sort of hypnosis over Dr. Selvig, which resulted in Dr. Selvig becoming extremely receptive to orders from Loki. He was held in this condition for several days before the hypnosis was broken. It appears there may be some aftereffects psychologically and physiologically.”

“Mind control,” Jane said flatly. “You’re basically saying he was mind-controlled by Loki.”

Sitwell shifted his weight. “In simplistic terms, yes.”

“Oh, my god,” Jane said, unknowingly echoing Darcy. She flung off the blanket she was wrapped in. “Where is he?”

“He’s being treated at a SHIELD facility,” Sitwell said, trying to reassure her. “He is getting the best possible care.”

“I want to see him,” Jane said. “We are going to see him and you are going to take us there. Now.”

“Dr. Foster, I’ve been asked to bring you to our facility in Washington to analyze the readings we recorded on the portal during the incident in Manhattan,” Sitwell said, shaking his head.

“Erik first,” Jane insisted. 

“It’s essential we get you to Washington as soon as possible,” Sitwell tried to protest.

Jane held up a hand. “No. Erik first. You know what, where’s Coulson? I want to talk to him. He’s the one we’ve been working with. Where is he?”

Sitwell hesitated visibly. “Agent Coulson was killed in action during the incident,” he said quietly.

Darcy and Jane both froze, turning to stare at Sitwell. “Okay,” Jane said unevenly. “Okay. We’ll go to Washington, but I still want to see Erik, make sure he’s alright.”

“That can be arranged,” Sitwell promised.

Darcy and Jane had gotten last-minute packing down to a science. Both of them were dressed and ready to go in half an hour.

XxxXxxX

The Shield facility in Washington, DC was called the Triskelion and Darcy hated it the moment she stepped through the front doors. She had a crawly feeling up and down her spine as if the building was going to collapse around her ears any second. But for Jane’s sake she kept her mouth shut as they were escorted directly to a lab full of sci-fi equipment.

Jane set her laptop bag down and crossed her arms. “Okay. I want to see Erik now.”

Sitwell nodded. “He’s in the medical wing. I’ll take you now.”

“Wait, you mean he was in the same building this whole time?” Darcy demanded.

Sitwell nodded, face blank. Darcy stalked past him out of the lab. “Asshole,” she shot at him.

Dr. Selvig was in an isolation room, hooked up to some kind of brain monitoring machine, and was asleep when Darcy and Jane arrived. Jane hovered at the side of his bed, looking uncertain. Darcy took a more direct approach. She took his hand in both of hers and squeezed gently.

“Erik?” she called. “Dr. Selvig?”

He blinked awake and looked around, momentarily confused. “Jane, Darcy,” he mumbled. “What are you doing here?”

“Making sure you’re all right,” Jane told him, patting his arm. “How do you feel?”

“Is he gone?” Erik asked, eyes darting around the room. “They said they took him away. He’s gone, isn’t he?”

“Who’s gone?” Darcy asked with a frown.

“Loki,” Erik whispered hoarsely. He reached out and grabbed Jane’s hand tightly. “He made me do such terrible things. I didn’t want to, Jane. I swear. I didn’t want to.”

“I know, Erik,” Jane assured him. “It’s alright. I know.”

Erik dozed off again. Jane dragged a chair over to his bedside and sat down. “I’m going to stay with him a while,” she told Darcy.

Darcy nodded. “I’m gonna try to find some coffee. You want?”

“Please,” Jane said gratefully.

Darcy wandered out into the hallway and looked around for something resembling a break room. The only other person was a red-haired woman in jeans and a gray hoodie two sizes too large for her. 

“Excuse me,” Darcy called, walking towards the woman. She stopped and turned around to look at Darcy. She waited until Darcy caught up with her.

“Can I help you?” the woman said politely. Darcy didn’t miss the woman’s quick scan of her person, and the half-second lingering of her eyes on Darcy’s visitor’s pass clipped to the front of her sweater.

“Hi, um, do you know where I can get a couple cups of coffee?” Darcy asked. “My boss and I are visiting a friend, and we just got off a plane from Norway.”

“You’re visiting Dr. Selvig, aren’t you?” the woman asked. “You work for Dr. Foster?”

“Yeah,” Darcy replied, nodding. “That obvious?”

“Selvig’s the only other patient in this wing,” the woman said. “Come on. I’ll show you the cafeteria. I was heading there myself.”

“Thanks,” Darcy said gratefully. “I’m Darcy, by the way.”

“Natasha,” the redhead replied, offering her hand. Darcy reached out to take it. The moment their hands touched, however, the scent and taste of blood assaulted Darcy like a physical blow. It took all of her self control not to snatch her hand away. But the sensation vanished when Natasha gripped her hand, replaced by the smell of cinnamon and the taste of snow.

“Nice to meet you,” Natasha went on. “Glad Selvig has people.”

“He’s family,” Darcy said, clearing her throat. “You said he was the only other patient? There’s another one?”

Natasha’s expression shuttered closed abruptly and Darcy backpedaled, holding up her hands. “Sorry. Let me guess. Classified?”

“You’re good at this,” Natasha said with a faint smile.

“We’ve been working with SHIELD for the last year,” Darcy explained. “You get used to hear that. A lot.”

The cafeteria that Natasha lead her to was only sparsely occupied, but all of the other people were all wearing suits, in sharp contrast to Natasha and Darcy’s wardrobes. Natasha didn’t seem bothered at being underdressed and made straight for the coffee makers.

“I don’t know how, but this cafeteria has the best coffee in the building,” Natasha explained.

Darcy tasted it gingerly. “It’s not terrible,” she admitted. “You guys should get a Starbucks in here.”

“None of their employees can pass the background checks,” Natasha replied. “Let me walk you back. It’s easy to get lost in here.”

As they left the cafeteria with their coffee, Darcy turned to Natasha. “Can I ask you a question?”

“I can’t guarantee you’re cleared to hear the answer, but shoot,” Natasha replied.

“Do you know the funeral details for Agent Coulson?” Darcy asked delicately.

Natasha gave her a sharp look. “Yeah. I’ll get them to you,” she said after a minute.

“Thanks,” Darcy said gratefully. “We only worked with him off and on, but he was good people.”

“Yeah, he was,” Natasha agreed quietly. She nodded towards a door. “That’s you. Good talking to you, Darcy.”

“You too,” Darcy said. “Thanks again.” She bumped the door open with her hip and entered the room to find Jane asleep in her chair, head tilted back and mouth partly open. Darcy set Jane’s coffee on the table next to her and curled up in the other chair. She pulled out her phone.

Joanna Lewis answered on the second ring. “Darcy?” she asked, her voice pitched high.

“Hi, mom,” Darcy said with a watery smile.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” Joanna demanded. “We saw the news. I can’t believe it!”

“We were in Oslo, mom. We weren’t anywhere near New York,” Darcy assured her, and justified it as only a half lie.

“Where are you now?” Joanna asked.

“DC,” Darcy replied. 

“What are you doing there?” Joanna asked. 

“Work. You know how it is,” Darcy told her. “Jane is the best in her field. She gets asked to consult a lot.”

“How long are you going to be there?” Joanna asked. “I could come down for a few days. It’s not that far of a drive.”

Darcy rubbed her eyes. “I don’t know. I’ll ask. But I’d really love to see you.”

“I’m just glad you’re alright, sweetie. You know your father and I worry about you.”

“I know,” Darcy said with a sigh. “I love what I’m doing, though. You know that, right?”

“Of course we do,” Joanna assured her. “And we’re so proud of you. We just want you to be safe.”

“I’m safe, mom,” Darcy said. “I promise. Can you tell dad I miss him? Oh, and can he email me his apple cake recipe? Jane’s birthday is next month and I promised I’d make it for her.”

“I will,” Joanna promised. “We miss you too, sweetie.”

“Love you,” Darcy said, smiling again.

“Love you too, Darcy.”

Darcy lowered the phone and stared at the picture of her mother until the screen went dark. It had gotten so easy to lie to everyone close to her. She was really starting to get sick of it. Darcy took a deep breath and looked at her cup of coffee. She put it on the side table and closed her eyes.

“Heimdall, I know you can hear me,” she said under her breath. “I really need to come to Asgard, so if you could undo my no-fly status, I’d appreciate it.”

She didn’t feel anything change, but she trusted Heimdall enough to believe that he had heard her. She dug around in her backpack until she found the bottle of melatonin supplements. As tired as she was, it wouldn’t take much for her to fall asleep.

Darcy woke up somewhere cold and dark, someplace she didn’t instantly recognize. She sat up with a jerk and looked around. It was a long corridor made of dark stone, interspersed with glowing golden panels. She got to her feet and walked over to one of the panels. It was actually a barrier, and on the other side was a white-walled cell. The cell’s occupant caught sight of her and lunged at the barrier with a hiss. Darcy recoiled hard enough to lose her balance and she fell hard onto her ass, scooting backwards until her back hit a wall.

“What do we have here?” asked a smooth voice from above her. “You do not belong here.”

Darcy spun around, raising herself up onto her knees, and looked up. The man on the other side of the barrier smiled at her like a shark approaching its prey. He had ice-white skin and ink-black hair, jade-green eyes bright with intelligence and not a small amount of madness.

Darcy lunged to her feet, her jaw slack with shock. “Holy shit,” she said.

Loki kept smiling at her. “I take it you know who I am, then.”


	3. The Crown Hangs Heavy On Either Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! Another update! And so soon. How uncharacteristic. Thank you to everyone who has left a comment or kudos. I am delighted at the attention this story is getting. I am in uncharted territory for me, being new to the tasertricks fandom, and all of you are so encouraging. 
> 
> Also I would like to give a shout out to Panic! At The Disco for the story and chapter titles. I discovered them at the same time I started work on this story and I haven't stopped listening to them since.

Darcy had always had a way with words. She was quick-witted, always on the ball with a quip or a joke. She took a great deal of pride in that fact. But on this occasion, confronted with the man on the other side of the golden forcefield, she found herself at loss for words.

 

“You!” she spat, jabbing her finger in his direction. “You’re you!”

 

Loki clicked his tongue. “It never ceases to amaze me how articulate you humans are,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “Speaking of which, how did a human manage to get past the Allfather’s guards?”

 

“Business,” Darcy said, backing away and crossing her arms. “None of yours.” She turned around in a complete circle but did not see any sign of a door. “Heimdall, this isn’t what I had in mind when I said I wanted to come back to Asgard,” she muttered. She picked a direction and started walking.

 

Loki kept pace with her until he reached the limit of his cell. “You are going in the wrong direction,” he called as she walked away. She ground to a stop, gritted her teeth, and turned around.

 

“You don’t know where I’m going,” she yelled back at him.

 

“Deeper into the dungeons, apparently,” Loki replied with a smirk.

 

Darcy blushed in embarrassment and anger, but lifted her chin and stalked back past his cell in the other direction.

 

“That is the wrong direction as well,” he said as she crossed in front of him. “At least, if you are trying to leave the dungeons.”

 

She stopped dead in her tracks, refusing to look over at him. “You’re lying,” she said.

 

“It is probable,” he admitted. He clasped his hands behind his back. “I can tell you how to get back to the surface.”

 

Darcy slowly turned to face him. “And why would you do that?” she asked sarcastically. “Out of the goodness of your heart?”

 

“I am willing to make a trade,” Loki offered, rocking back onto his heels. “Knowledge for knowledge.”

 

“No thanks,” Darcy said, turning her back on him. “I can find my own way out of here.”

 

“Of course!” Loki said. “After all, it isn’t as if the dungeons stretch on for miles under the city, and are designed as a labyrinth to entrap prisoners should they attempt to escape. You should have no trouble finding your way out. Best of luck!”

 

Darcy exhaled sharply through her nose. He was lying, she told herself. That’s what Loki did. He lied. She shook her head and started walking.

 

And kept walking.

 

And walked some more.

 

And walked a little bit further.

 

“Son of a bitch,” she said, looking around. She’d walked in a straight line for what seemed like hours, ignoring the perpendicular halls, hoping that she would eventually reach something that resembled an exit sign, to no avail. “Seriously?” She turned right and trudged down the corridor, glancing into each cell she passed without paying much attention until she reached a familiar one.

 

“You have got to be kidding me,” Darcy said, glaring up at Loki again. He rose to his feet from where he was sitting on a narrow couch and crossed over towards her.

 

“I did give you fair warning,” he said. “Are you ready to bargain with me?”

 

“I don’t want anything from you,” Darcy snarled, and turned her back on him. Her legs were tired and her feet ached from walking on the hard, unyielding stone in inadequate shoes. She didn’t particularly feel like walking anymore, so she lowered herself to the ground and sat cross-legged, elbows propped on her knees. She checked her watch. She’d been in the dungeons for just over four hours. That was a long time to sleep in a chair in a hospital room. She was probably going to wake up any minute now.

 

“I am not certain, but I do not think you are going to find a way out of the dungeons by sitting there,” Loki said from behind her.

 

“I don’t have to find a way out,” she growled at him without turning around. “I just have to wait. Shut up.”

 

“If you know who I am, then you know that is not likely.”

 

Darcy sighed, and then scooted herself around. “I know you’re a liar and a coward, and that you murdered thousands of people so you could throw a temper tantrum about how daddy didn’t love you as much as Thor,” she spat at him.

 

He didn’t look bothered by her accusations. “If that is what you think, then you don’t know much at all, I’m afraid,” he replied, beginning to pace along the edge of his cell. “Tell me, how does a human come to be here, in Asgard, with that kind of knowledge?”

 

“Like I’m going to tell you anything,” Darcy said. “You’ve tried to kill me twice already. I’m not interested in having a conversation with you.”

 

“I assure you it was nothing personal,” Loki told her. “I am sure you were simply inconveniently located.”

 

Darcy opened her mouth to bite out a scathing reply and stopped herself. She was going about this all wrong. She did not have to sit there and let him taunt her. She took a deep breath to center herself, called up her power, and trained all of her focus on him.

 

The pain drove the breath right out of her body. She gasped, clutching at her ribs as they tried to expand, but couldn’t. It was as if her whole body was an open wound, an exposed nerve, sending wave after wave of agony through her brain. Her vision whited out and she curled up on the hard, cold ground, cradling her head and trying to scream through clenched teeth.

 

A hand grabbed her shoulder and she jerked away. For a split second she was falling, and then she hit the ground, disoriented. She cast around, unsure of where she was or what was happening. Her body ached, every muscle sore as if they had spent hours clenched and rigid. Her head pounded and her jaw felt locked in place.

 

“Darcy, are you okay?” Jane asked, crouching next to her.

 

It took Darcy a moment to work her jaw loose. “Yeah,” she said hoarsely. She was in the medical wing of the Triskelion, in Erik’s room. Loki and the Asgardian dungeons were light years away. “Nightmare,” she grunted, hauling herself off the floor.

 

“Must have been a hell of a one,” Jane said, helping her up. “You were shaking all over.”

 

“‘M fine,” Darcy muttered. She rubbed her eyes. “What time is it?”

 

“Almost midnight,” Jane said. “Agent Sitwell is kicking us out of here in five minutes. He said they have an apartment ready for us. We should probably get some sleep.”

 

The thought of going back to the dungeons drove Darcy into full wakefulness. “I’m good,” she said, blinking her eyes wide. “I’m great. Sleep? We don’t need sleep. Don’t we have work to do? Let’s do science.”

 

Jane frowned at Darcy. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

Darcy waved her off. “I’m fine. I slept on the flight here. Besides, time difference. It’s in morning back in Norway.”

 

Jane eyed her in disbelief. “Darce, we were in Norway for three days.”

 

“Plenty of time to get adjusted,” Darcy said, trying (and failing) to sound like her normal, perky self. She looked over at Erik, who was still sleeping. “How’s he doing?” she asked, changing the subject.

 

“He woke up a few times but he’s still confused. Whatever Loki did to him really messed him up,” Jane said sadly.

 

A cold rage pooled at the bottom of Darcy’s stomach as she pictured Loki’s unrepentant smirk. She had never wanted to hurt another person before, never tried to see if she could, but now she wondered if there was anything in her abilities that would let her find a way to punish Loki for what he had done.

 

Jane put her hand on Darcy’s arm. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay,” she assured the younger woman. “Erik is strong and insanely stubborn. He’s not gonna let some crazy megalomaniac alien keep him down for long.”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said softly. She looked over at Jane. “We should get back to our apartment. Get settled in.”

 

A SHIELD car took them to their apartment, which was a three bedroom flat on the top floor of a renovated building from the nineteen twenties in uptown. It was only a short ride on the Metro to the Triskelion, and it was fully furnished in a quaint, inviting style.

 

“I’m picturing SHIELD agents binge-watching HGTV and taking notes,” Darcy said, dropping her bags in the living room. She went to the kitchen and opened the pantry. “Nice,” she murmured to herself, seeing that it was fully stocked. She opened the fridge next. “Nicer,” she observed, seeing that it was similarly fully stocked. She poked around for a couple of seconds before she caught sight of a Kosher label. She blinked a couple of times. “Huh,” she said.

 

“Jane!” she called. “You hungry?” There was no reply so Darcy went looking for her friend, only to find Jane curled up on top of the bed in one of the bedrooms, snoring faintly. “Okay then,” she said softly, closing the door.

 

Darcy showered, unpacked, prepped two handmade pizzas and put them in the freezer for later before she admitted to herself that she was stalling. Even with her nap at the Triskelion she was still exhausted and she needed to sleep if she was going to keep up with Jane during her manic science phase that was sure to be coming soon. So she trudged back to the bedroom she’d claimed for herself and crawled under the covers. She tossed and turned for a couple of hours before sleep finally caught her off-guard.

 

She opened her eyes and looked around. “Shit,” she said succinctly, wrapping her arms around herself.

 

“Vulgar words often reveal a vulgar mind,” Loki commented, putting his book aside and rising to his feet. “To be honest, I am surprised you returned.”

 

“Trust me, it wasn’t my first choice,” Darcy snapped back. He raised an eyebrow at her.

 

“Are you recovered?” he asked, his voice cordial. “You appeared to be in pain when you departed last.”

 

“Why the hell would you care?” Darcy demanded, scowling at him. “You’d probably sooner kill me.”

 

Loki held up his hands in a placating gesture. “As I told you before, I hold no personal malice towards you. If my actions have put you in harm’s way, you have my apologies.”

 

Darcy eyed him suspiciously. “Why are you being nice all the sudden? What do you want?”

 

“Am I not bound by geis to offer hospitality to those under my roof?” Loki replied. He stretched his arms out to his sides. “And seeing as how this is to be my home for the rest of my days…” he lowered his arms and clasped his hands behind his back.

 

Darcy’s suspicion did not abate. “And this has nothing to do with the fact that you can catch more flies with honey,” she said dryly.

 

“Why would anyone want to catch flies?” Loki asked with a faint smirk, head tilting.

 

Darcy jabbed a finger at him. “You don’t fool me. I just spent the day sitting next to my friend, who you put in the hospital. He’s probably never going to be the same again, and it’s your fault.”

 

“Shall I send flowers?” Loki asked. “That is what you mortals do, is it not?”

 

Darcy ground her teeth together, that cold rage bubbling up into her chest. “Do not mock me,” she said icily. She poured all her anger and her power into her words. “Do not presume to make light of the pain you have caused. If you do not have the decency to be repentant, then at least have the intelligence to guard your words in front of someone who could wipe you from existence.”

 

Loki took a full step backwards from the force of her words. Darcy didn't know if she could actually do what she threatened, but she was really willing to try. He studied her closely, a shrewd expression on his face.

 

“So,” Loki said, still staring at her. “Not a human. What are you, little girl?”

 

“Knowledge is power, buddy, and you're not getting any from me,” Darcy snapped.

 

“Oh but you have already given me so much,” Loki said, starting to pace. “Female, nubile, in her prime of life, comes and goes as she pleases. And that is interesting as well. You are a dream-walker, are you not?”

 

Darcy scowled, trying to figure out she always seemed to manage to come out worse for wear in her conversations with him. “No,” she said bluntly. “I’m not talking to you anymore.”

 

Loki gestured theatrically. “Well, you are welcome to leave at any time,” he said mockingly.

 

Darcy glared at him for a moment before groaning. She knew something that would definitely wake her up and take her away from this place, but it wasn’t going to be pleasant. She gritted her teeth, called up her power, and tried to read Loki.

 

It was like sandpaper over an exposed nerve, like pouring acid over an open wound. Her brain felt like it was melting with the pain. Her vision whited out and there was a high-pitched ringing in her ears, but she could just hear an otherworldly voice hissing words at her.

 

_“You will wish for something as sweet as pain.”_

 

Darcy woke up in her new bedroom in DC, curled up into a ball so tightly her muscles were aching from the strain. It took her several minutes to convince her muscles to relax, focusing on them one by one until she finally managed to uncurl. Her pajamas were drenched in sweat and her breathing was ragged as she lay on the bed, exhausted. She reached up and pressed her hand against her face.

 

The first time she’d read Loki, she thought he’d purposefully inflicted the pain, or it was some kind of psychic feedback from him blocking her. But this time, it had been different. This time, she’d realized the pain had come from _inside_ Loki.

 

Darcy abruptly sat up as realization hit her with the force of a mack truck. Loki was _constantly_ in that much pain. How was he able to stand, much less string together enough words for a snarky remark? And where was the pain coming from? It wasn’t physical pain, of that much she was certain. The pain, whatever its origin, was definitely psychic. Someone was inflicting pain on Loki, and she wanted to know who. And why.

 

Darcy twisted to look at the clock sitting on the bedside table. She still had three hours until Jane would probably wake up and start her morning forage for caffeine. Of course, Darcy was wired and completely wide awake. She ground her teeth together. She couldn’t believe she was actually considering doing this for Loki, of all people. She was fairly certain he would never be grateful enough to make it worth it.

 

As she suspected, the swanky apartment SHIELD had set up for them had a fully-stocked liquor bar. Darcy, being a poor college student, prefered her alcohol of the “cheap and plentiful” variety, and therefore had no appreciation for the bottles in the cabinets under the wet bar. But she found one she could stand the taste of and started chugging.

 

And because Darcy was fond of cheap and plentiful alcohol, it took over half the bottle before she started getting sleepy. It was somewhere after the “can’t walk straight” stage, but thankfully before the “the room is spinning” stage. Darcy just really wanted to lay down and close her eyes and not contemplate the headache she was going to have in the morning. She was still cogent enough to put the bottle away and get a glass of water before collapsing on the couch.

 

She woke up in Asgard, not, to her intense relief, in the dungeons. She was on a terrace connected to the library, stretched out on one of the chaise lounges Asgardian interior designers seemed fond of. Darcy quickly jumped to her feet and had to abruptly sit back down again.

 

“Drunk dream-walking,” she muttered to herself. “Awesome.” She got her feet again, much slower this time, and set off for the potted tree she’d hidden her Asgardian robe behind. Then she went in search of Lady Frigga. Darcy had only had a handful of encounters with Lady Frigga since their first meeting, but she found that the noblewoman always seemed to be exactly where Darcy needed her. So, par for the course, it didn’t take long for Darcy to find her.

 

“I need a book on psychic connections,” Darcy blurted as soon as she saw the blonde Asgardian.

 

Lady Frigga turned away from the woman she’d been speaking to and looked Darcy up and down. “You look unwell, child,” she observed kindly. “Have you taken ill?”

 

Darcy tried to shake her head but stopped when she lost her balance. “I’m drunk,” she explained.

 

Lady Frigga dismissed the other woman with a wave and came to stand in front of Darcy. “Why did you come here in this condition, Darcy Lewis?”

 

“Had to get to sleep somehow,” Darcy said, proud of the fact she did not slur her words. She tapped the side of her forehead. “Trouble sleeping sometimes. You know how it is.”

 

Lady Frigga reached out and gently took Darcy’s arm. “Come with me, child.”

 

“But I need a book!” Darcy protested as Lady Frigga led her out of the library.

 

“I will find you the book you need,” Lady Frigga promised. “But first let us see to your more pressing needs.” She tucked Darcy’s hand into the crook of her elbow and guided her through the passageways of the city.

 

“Are we going to the palace?” Darcy asked, her eyes wide as she stared around her unfamiliar surroundings. “I’ve never been to the palace before.”

 

“Yes, we are going to the palace,” Lady Frigga told her.

 

Darcy continued to ogle the scenery as they walked for what seemed like a terribly long time first through the city, and then through the palace, until they reached a cozy sitting room with a fantastic view of what remained of the Bifrost. Lady Frigga helped Darcy sit down on a couch and then vanished, leaving Darcy stroking a fur blanket happily.

 

“Here,” Lady Frigga said, reappearing. She placed a steaming cup in Darcy’s hands. “Drink this.”

 

Darcy peered into the cup curiously. The liquid was pale cream in color, frothy with flecks of brown on top. She inhaled deeply. The aroma was pleasant and spicy, but unfamiliar. She took a cautious first sip. It was not entirely unlike chai tea, though there was a definite reminiscence of chocolate, and a faint bitterness that reminded her of coffee. Whatever it was, it cleared her head after only a few sips.

 

“This is amazing,” Darcy said, huddling over the cup. “What is it?”

 

“It’s called kava,” Lady Frigga told her. “It’s quite popular among those who have celebrated their victories with a little too much enthusiasm.”

 

“It’s delicious,” Darcy said. “And thank you.”

 

“In your state, it’s not likely that any studying you did would do you much good,” Lady Frigga said with a smile.

 

Darcy grimaced. “Eh, well, it was that or sedatives, and I’m not a fan of drugging myself silly.”

 

Lady Frigga sat on the couch next to Darcy and folded her hands. “You asked me about psychic connections,” she said. “Might I ask why?”

 

Darcy chose her next words carefully. Given Loki’s current position, it was not likely Lady Frigga would willingly help her if Darcy told her the whole truth. “If there was someone, for example, who had a psychic connection that was causing them pain, would there be anything, hypothetically, that you could do about it?” Darcy asked, still gripping her cup tightly to her chest.

 

“Well, that depends on the connection, and the people who are a part of it,” Lady Frigga said, tilting her head.

 

Darcy mulled that over for a few minutes. “What if it wasn’t...consensual?” she asked slowly.

 

Lady Frigga gave her an unreadable look. “It could, in theory, be severed, given the victimized party desired it strongly enough, and the one who severed it had greater power than the one who forged it.”

 

“Oh,” Darcy said softly, and went back to staring into her cup. “How would you do that? Sever it?”

 

“It would not be easy,” Lady Frigga warned her. “But if you truly wish to know, I will teach you.”

 

Darcy’s eyes jumped up to Lady Frigga’s face. “You know how to do it?” she asked curiously.

 

“I do have a passable knowledge of what your people call magic,” Lady Frigga replied, amused. “But what you wish to do will take a great deal of strength, of both will and power.”

 

Darcy sighed and took a long drink of the kava before setting it aside. Again she wondered why she was willing to do this for Loki, of all people. “Yeah, okay,” she said, resigned. “Let’s do this.”

 

XxxXxxX

 

It took a week of nightly lessons before Lady Frigga declared Darcy ready. The lessons were emotionally and mentally exhausting, which meant that Darcy woke up every morning more tired than she’d gone to sleep, and usually ended up dozing in the lab while Jane worked. The rest of the time she stayed hopped up on caffeine just in order to stay awake.

 

While Jane was not happy to be working directly for SHIELD, she was intensely interested in the data SHIELD provided her from both portals caused by the Tesseract. She would have worked around the clock on analyzing the data if Darcy hadn’t dragged her away to eat, sleep, and visit Erik.

 

Erik was released from the medical wing after three days, but was kept in the Triskelion for observation. They tried to bring him into Jane’s lab, but he’d had a flashback so bad they’d had to sedate him. Darcy checked in on him several times a day, in between his therapy appointments. It was as she was leaving from escorting him to his latest one that she ran into Natasha again.

 

Natasha was walking with a sandy-haired man in a SHIELD sweatshirt and torn jeans, but she slowed down and waved at Darcy from down the hall. As Darcy approached them, Natasha smiled in greeting.

 

“It’s Darcy, right?” Natasha asked.

 

“Yup, that’s me,” Darcy replied. She took a second look at Natasha’s companion. “Yo, Barton. Long time no see.”

 

The male agent bobbed his head and smiled faintly. “Lewis. Keeping out of trouble?”

 

“Me? Never!” Darcy replied.

 

Natasha looked between them. “You two know each other?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Yeah, we met in New Mexico,” Darcy told her. “SHIELD came in and confiscated all of Jane’s equipment, and Katniss here helped me get my iPod back. I still owe you for that one.”

 

“You bought drinks during the clean up, remember?” Barton asked. “I’d call us even.”

 

Darcy flapped a hand dismissively. “Alcohol is temporary. Music is forever. I still need to make up for it.”

 

“What are you doing here?” Barton asked. He shoved his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders. “Heard you were in Norway.”

 

“Pretty sure they just sent us there to get us out of the way,” Darcy said dryly. “Jane’s analyzing data from the portals in New York.”

 

Barton nodded, his eyes sliding away from hers and staring off into the distance. Darcy frowned. She recognized that look. It was the same one Erik got if he was left by himself for too long. She opened her mouth to say something but Natasha interrupted.

 

“Here, before I forget.” She handed Darcy a card.

 

Darcy looked down at it. It was trimmed in black and had Agent Coulson’s name printed at the top, along with an address and a time. “Oh,” she said, her mood darkening. “Thanks.” She sighed deeply.

 

“How’s Dr Selvig?” Natasha asked gently.

 

“He’s getting better,” Darcy said, pocketing the card. “It’s not gonna be easy, though.” She sighed through her teeth. “I’d punch Loki right in the nose if I could,” she said darkly. It wasn’t a lie, despite how Darcy had spent her last seven evenings. The only thing keeping her from doing so was the golden barrier between them whenever she visited the dungeons.

 

“You don’t have to worry about Loki anymore,” Natasha said firmly, but she was looking at Barton as she spoke.

 

Darcy snorted. _Not likely_ , she thought. She shrugged. “I gotta get back to Jane. If she doesn’t have constant supervision, she might accidentally create an Einstein-Rosen Bridge to other side of the universe.” She offered her knuckles to Barton. “Keep it real, Legolas.”

 

He obliged her with a fist bump. “Watch your back, Lewis,” he replied. Darcy frowned at him again as he and Natasha left. Natasha had mentioned another patient in Erik’s wing… She shuddered and shook her head. If Barton had been another one of Loki’s victims…

 

“Damn it,” she whispered to herself. “What the hell are you thinking, Darcy?” She headed back to Jane’s lab, wondering for the hundredth time why she was even considering helping Loki.

 

XxxXxxX

 

It took Darcy five tries and two nights to dream-walk into the Asgardian dungeons. She’d have thought she would be better at it after ten years of practice, but she still ended up in places she didn't want to be more often than not. As soon as she realized she was in the dungeons, she made a beeline for Loki’s now-familiar cell.

 

“I can’t believe I'm actually going to do this,” she growled at him, “But I'm going to fix you.”

 

He laughed humorlessly. “I am afraid it will take more than wishful thinking to achieve that, mortal girl.”

 

“You and I both know I've got more than wishful thinking going for me,” Darcy snapped.

 

Loki didn't immediately reply. He studied her for a long moment. “Perhaps I do not desire to be ‘fixed’,” he said length.

 

“Bullshit,” Darcy said flatly. “I how much pain you're in. I'm gonna take it away.”

 

Loki frowned at her. It was the first time she'd seen anything less than smug confidence on his face. He stepped forward until he stood right before the barrier, the forcefield thickening in response to his proximity.  “And why would you do that?” he asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

 

“Because I'm an idiot, apparently,” Darcy dryly. She crossed her arms defensively. “Now do you want me to help you, or do you want to suffer for the rest of your life?”

 

Loki continued to stare at her warily. “Why should I trust you?”

 

“I'm not the one who lied to his family and friends and tried to destroy two separate planets,” Darcy pointed out. “And I don't see anyone else lining up to help you out.”

 

He stepped away from the wall of his cage and began to pace back and forth, never taking his eyes off her. “You are not truly mortal, are you?” he asked. “It is impossible, a being with your powers.”

 

Darcy shook her head. “Nuh-uh. That topic is off limits. You want my help, yes or no? One time offer.”

 

Loki spread his hands to his sides. “What can I say? I am at your mercy.”

 

Darcy lowered arms. “Okay. This isn't gonna be easy, or pleasant, for either of us. Just try not to struggle, okay?” Without giving him a chance to respond, Darcy called up her power and focused on Loki. She didn't try to read him this time. She just lightly skimmed his mind like Frigga had showed her, trying to find the connection that was causing him pain.

 

She gagged when she found it. It felt like a festering sore, smelling and tasting of infection. It had once been deep and strong, but even weak and faded it would take nearly all of Darcy's strength to sever it.

 

Darcy took a deep breath and then reached into Loki’s mind. She still did not attempt to read him, only pinpointing the memories directly related to the psychic bond. They burned hot and painful, literally and figuratively.

 

Darcy felt herself falling into the void, swallowed by the dying Bifrost, and landing, shattered and broken, on the far side of the universe. She saw the Other and his master, the mad Titan. She felt the fire and it was an unbearable pain for her, a son of the ice world. She felt them in her mind and in her dreams. She could not even sleep without their whispers in her head.

 

She heard them whisper to her of her rightful place as king. She heard their promises and saw their visions of a world conquered at her feet, and she knew it was empty, knew she was nothing more than a puppet, a plaything. She knew her own helplessness and she despised it. She saw the humans that had provoked her captors and she hated them. She wished them the same pain she had suffered.

 

Darcy knew all these things and gathered them up. She used her hatred, her anger, her pain, and she burned her captors from her mind, like cauterizing a wound.

 

Darcy woke up lying on her side on the cold floor. She was disoriented at first, feeling momentarily as if she in the wrong body, but then she remembered she was not an Asgardian prince, that she was in actuality a human (of sorts), a norn, and very, very tired.

 

She opened her eyes to find that she was lying inside of Loki’s cell, and he was lying on the floor beside her, his pale green eyes focused on her face. She yelped and scrambled backwards until she hit the golden forcefield, which sent an unpleasant shock through her body.

 

Loki was on his feet in a flash, catching her by her arms and pulling her away from the barrier. He helped her sit down and continued to hold her upright when she seemed inclined to collapse again.

 

He stared at her in something akin to wonder, as if she was some marvelous secret only he knew. “A norn,” he said at length. “A human norn. Now there is something truly rare.”

 

“Leggo of me,” Darcy mumbled.

 

Loki obliged and Darcy slowly slumped to the floor again. She couldn't summon enough energy to care that she was inside a locked cell with a mass murderer, or that Loki had somehow discovered her secret.

 

“Water,” she demanded from the floor. Loki rose to his feet again and went to the pitcher on a small table in the corner. He returned with a silver cup. Darcy took it from him and drained it greedily. She handed it back and closed her eyes.

  
“Sleep now,” she said before losing consciousness


	4. Just A Villain Vying For Attention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Another chapter! Please don't start to expect such regular updates. I have a real job that works strange hours and it's pretty high stress so I don't usually get this much writing done. I'm just super motivated right now and I'm getting amazing feedback from readers so I'm pretty pumped.
> 
> Anyway, in this chapter we get more cameos, drop a couple truth bombs, and yay Loki/Darcy interactions! I swear they are just the most fun to write together and Loki is just so diabolical. I love him.
> 
> Bea, I have to say your birthday present was the best thing to happen to my writing career so far. You're welcome.

_Jane was suspended in midair, held off the ground by some unseen force. She was plunged in blood-red light, surrounded by ripples of darkness like water. A terrible power surged through her, tearing her apart cell by cell. A dark figure stretched out its hand towards Jane and she stiffened, back arching in pain as the dark figure drained the life out of her…_

 

Darcy woke up thrashing, trying to get to her friend before the dark figure killed her. She jerked upright, tangled in the sheets, and stared wildly around the darkened bedroom. It took her a moment before she realized she wasn’t in Loki’s cell, and another before she realized she’d been dreaming.

 

Her head felt like it had been split in two, and her body ached as if she had gone ten rounds with someone twice her size. Her pajamas were stiff with dried sweat and her mouth tasted like copper. With a groan, Darcy collapsed backwards onto her pillows and rolled over to check the clock.

 

“Shit!” she spat, and scrambled to untangle herself from the sheets. She padded across the hallway to Jane’s room and knocked. “Janey? You up?” When there was no reply, Darcy opened the door and stuck her head inside. She could hear the shower running and there was a black dress laid out on the bed, the one Darcy had picked up earlier that week.

 

Satisfied that Jane was up and getting ready, Darcy retreated to her own bedroom and took the shortest possible shower. She twisted her wet hair up into a simple chignon so she could slap some makeup on, and dug her only pair of dress shoes out of her closet, which was already a disaster zone. Her own dress was hanging on the back of the closet door, and Darcy somehow managed to get the zipper up by herself.

 

When she emerged again from her bedroom, Jane was using the mirror by the front door to put her earrings in. “Car’s already waiting for us,” she said.

 

“We’re gonna be laaaate,” Darcy bemoaned, tucking her clutch under one elbow and fiddling with her key ring. She finally found the right key and shooed Jane out into the hall so she could lock the front door behind them. The driver said nothing as they got into the vehicle, Jane still fixing the pins keeping her hair up.

 

“Let me,” Darcy said, slapping her hands out of the way and doing it herself.

 

The venue was already crowded when they arrived. A guard at the door checked their SHIELD badges (official employee ones now, no more visitor’s passes). Just inside the doorway was a table holding a large wreath of flowers and a framed photo of Agent Coulson.

 

Agent Coulson’s funeral and interment had already taken place back in his hometown with his extended family. SHIELD, however, was holding three different memorial services for him at various SHIELD bases to allow all the agents who wanted to attend to pay their respects.

 

Darcy headed straight for the bar and got two glasses of wine, one of which she handed to Jane. “You’re gonna need this,” she said. Jane took the glass without arguing and drained it in one go.

 

“I hate funerals,” Jane said in a low voice. She looked around. “Everyone here probably knew Coulson better than we did.”

 

“Probably,” Darcy agreed, throwing back her own glass of wine.

 

A slight-statured man with curly, salt-and-pepper hair and glasses edged nervously out of the crowd and walked toward them. Darcy turned to square off with him, instinctively moving to protect Jane. Jane didn’t notice, but the man slowed his approach, eying Darcy and silently asking permission to continue. She looked him up and down and gave a slight nod.

 

“Dr Foster?” the man asked, stopping a respectful distance away.

 

Jane gave him a polite smile, extending her hand. “Yes. And you are?”

 

“Bruce Banner,” the man replied, taking her hand.

 

“Holy crap,” Darcy blurted, eyes widening.

 

Banner cringed visible, snatching his hand away from Jane. “I’m sorry?” he stuttered, looking as if he was about to flee.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Darcy said, reaching out to grab his sleeve but remembering to stop just in time. “I didn’t mean...I just, I have wanted to meet you ever since I read your articles on climate change in _Science Earth_. They were fantastic!”

 

“Oh,” Banner said, relaxing. He gave her a faint smile. “That’s not usually the reason people want to meet me.”

 

“Well, I’m not much into genetics, so I don’t really have any other excuse to fangirl over you,” Darcy said with a rueful smile.

 

“Thank you,” Banner said sincerely. He turned to Jane. “I just wanted to know how your work was going. I heard that you were analyzing the data from the Tesseract.”

 

“I could probably be working on that data for years,” Jane said. “We picked up dark matter emissions from the portal, x energy, and half a dozen other emissions I don’t have names for yet. And we’re still not completely sure yet how the Tesseract actually functions. It has behavior patterns, erratic outbursts of energy, almost as if it's partially sentient.”

 

“Aaaaand that’s my cue to leave,” Darcy said. She smiled again at Banner. “If you understand anything she just said, you’re welcome to keep her company. I’m gonna go mingle a bit.” She poked Jane in the shoulder. “Behave, and get something to eat before you have any more wine.”

 

“Yes, mother,” Jane said, batting Darcy’s hand away.

 

Darcy had caught sight of Natasha and Barton across the room and picked her way over to say hello. Natasha was reading something on her phone and Barton leaned against the wall, the thousand-yard stare firmly in place. “Hey,” Darcy called as she approached. “Clint. You all right?”

 

He blinked and focused on her face. “Lewis. Hey. When did you get here?”

 

“Five minutes ago,” Darcy gestured over her shoulder. “Dr Banner and Jane are discussing sciencey things and I get tired with having to pull out my dictionary every five words so…” she trailed off with a shrug.

 

“Yeah,” Clint nodded. “Know the feeling. You shoulda seen it when Banner and Stark got going.”

 

“Stark likes to use the big words on purpose,” Natasha commented without looking up from her phone. “It makes him feel smarter.”

 

“Man’s a genius,” Barton said flatly. “Has the common sense of a rock.”

 

Darcy looked between them. “You guys were there, weren’t you? In New York, with Thor?”

 

Natasha finally tore her eyes away from her phone. “Yes,” she said tersely, but politely. “Thor mentioned you, by the way.”

 

“He did?” Darcy leaned forward slightly. “What did he say?”

 

“Coulson told him that we’d gotten Dr Foster to a safe place,” Natasha replied. “Thor said he had no doubt of her safety as long as you were with her.” Natasha raised an eyebrow. “He said something about you being a lightning-sister?”

 

Darcy bobbed her head. “Yeah. When we first met him, Thor kinda freaked us out, so I shot him with my taser.”

 

Clint blinked at her again. “You tased Thor?” he asked slowly.

 

“Uh-huh,” Darcy smiled faintly. “Knocked his butt right out. Good thing, too. I don’t think we could have gotten him to the hospital otherwise.”

 

“Hmm,” Natasha observed, looking at Darcy with renewed interest.

 

Agent Sitwell made his way over to them and leaned close to Natasha. “Ms Potts is asking for your help with Stark,” he said in a low voice.

 

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Already? I was going to give him an hour, at least.” She looked at Darcy and hooked her thumb towards Barton. “Keep an eye on him for me, okay?”

 

Darcy waved her hand. “Yeah, no prob.”

 

Clint made a face at Natasha, but the redhead merely levelled a firm look at him and sauntered away gracefully. Darcy leaned against the wall next to Clint.

 

“So where’s the best place to get pizza in town?”

 

Clint snorted and uncrossed his arms, shoving them in his pockets. “Stefan’s does a good pie. If you want New York style, though, you need to hit up Top Crust.”

 

“Either one of them do Kosher?” Darcy asked hopefully.

 

Clint gave her a sidelong look. “There’s a Kosher deli about two blocks from the Triskelion. Their pizza isn’t terrible.”

 

“Not terrible,” Darcy echoed dryly. “What a ringing endorsement.”

 

“You want Kosher, pizza probably isn’t the best way to go,” Clint replied. He tilted his head at her. “You go to temple?”

 

“When I have to, why?” she asked, returning his sidelong look.

 

He shrugged. “SHIELD holds services for most religions. I know there’s a Rabbi that works at the Triskelion. And Yom Kippur is next month.”

 

“How do you even know that?” Darcy demanded.

 

Clint shrugged again. “Friend of mine was Jewish.”

 

“Was?” Darcy questioned.

 

“Dead,” Clint said shortly.

 

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Darcy said, kicking herself.

 

“Excuse me,” said an unfamiliar male voice. Darcy glanced up and felt Clint straighten beside her.

 

“Captain,” Clint said, at the same time Darcy said, “Oh, crap.”

 

Darcy and the newcomer stared at each other for several seconds while Clint stared at Darcy. “So,” Clint said slowly. “You two have met.”

 

“We’ve met,” the man confirmed. He was wearing a suit now, not the ridiculous red, white, and blue outfit he’d sported a week prior. His hair, as it turned out, was blonde, but Darcy would have recognized that jawline anywhere. He gave her an intense look. “Can we talk privately?” he asked, politely but very firmly.

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said with a grimace. She handed her empty wineglass to Clint. “I’ll be right back.”

 

The man followed Darcy as she headed for a far corner of the venue, out of the way and currently unoccupied. When she turned around to confront him, he had stopped just out of arm’s reach. “So…” she said, wringing her hands together.

 

“Who are you?” the man asked.

 

“Please don’t tell anyone about me,” Darcy blurted.

 

That seemed to take him off guard. “Wait, does SHIELD not know about you?”

 

“No,” Darcy said miserably. “And I really, really, really don’t want them to.”

 

The man frowned. “I thought you were an agent. I thought they sent you to New York.”

 

Darcy shook her head. “No,” she said again. “I didn’t really mean to be there, but I didn’t have much of a choice.”

 

The man studied her for a moment, and then extended his hand. “I’m Steve Rogers,” he offered. “What’s your name?”

 

Darcy stared at him, ignoring his proffered hand. “Steve Rogers?” she asked, her voice squeaking. “As in the Steve Rogers? Captain America Steve Rogers?”

 

He awkwardly lowered his hand. “Yes?” he said uncertainly.

 

“Oh, my God,” Darcy said, her hands fluttering in excitement. “I thought you were just some guy they dressed up for propaganda. You’re actually Steve Rogers. How is that even possible? Why are you not, like, ninety years old? Why are you not, you know, dead?”

 

Captain Rogers’ expression abruptly shut down, his eyes going blank and closed, and Darcy slapped her hand over her mouth.

 

“I am so sorry,” she said. “Don’t answer that. I’m such an idiot. I’m Darcy, by the way. Darcy Lewis. Hi. I work for Dr Foster.” She shoved her hand toward him.

 

He gingerly shook her hand, his expression still blank. “She’s Thor’s girl, isn’t she?” he asked.

 

“If by ‘girl’ you mean they spent a weekend passionately staring into each other’s eyes while trying not to get blown up by his dick of a brother after she ran him over with her van, then yes,” Darcy replied. “Dr Foster is Thor’s ‘girl.’ She also happens to be the country’s most cutting-edge astrophysicist and one of the smartest women in the world, next to Elizabeth Ross and Helen Cho, probably.”

 

“I didn’t mean any disrespect,” Rogers began, but Darcy waved him off.

 

“Sorry, that’s just me being really defensive of my best friend. It seems like the only thing Jane gets asked anymore is how good of a kisser Thor is.”

 

Rogers blinked at her a couple of times, unsure of how to take that. Darcy made a half-aborted gesture and grimaced again. “Right. So you want to know about me.”

 

“I saw you get hit by one of the Chitauri weapons,” Rogers said.

 

“Yeah, and it hurt like a son of a bitch,” Darcy said, rubbing her chest with one hand in remembered pain. “I couldn’t breathe right for, like, three days.”

 

“How did you survive that?” Rogers demanded, pulling her back on track. “You don’t have a scratch on you.”

 

Darcy heaved a sigh. “It’s really complicated, but short version is, I can project myself to a separate location when I sleep. I can literally be in two places at once.”

 

Rogers frowned at her. “How are you able to do that?”

 

Darcy shrugged. “Hell if I know. I’ve been doing it since I was thirteen. I went to sleep that night in Norway, woke up in New York City. Once I saw what was going on, I knew I had to help however I could.”

 

He kept frowning at her. “Does anyone else know about what you can do?”

 

“No,” Darcy lied. “And I would really appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone.”

 

“Why don’t you want SHIELD to know?” he asked. “Isn’t that what they do? Work with people like you?”

 

Darcy glanced around to make sure that no one was within hearing range. “Have you heard about the Index?” she asked in a low voice.

 

“No,” he replied.

 

“Well, you’re probably on it. It’s a list of everyone SHIELD knows who has abilities. And I don’t know about you, but I would rather not spend the rest of my days in a laboratory getting poked and prodded by scientists.” Darcy crossed her arms. “I already spend most of my time in a lab, but at least I like the scientist and I do all the poking and prodding.”

 

“Would they really do that?” Rogers demanded.

 

Darcy shrugged. “Probably. I mean, they can’t do that to you, you’re a national icon. Stark is too rich, and no one wants to piss off Banner, so they’re safe. But me, I’m a nobody. I don’t have anyone protecting me.”

 

“They don’t have the authority to lock you up,” he insisted. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”

 

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Patriot Act, buddy. Look it up. All they’d have to do is declare me a threat to national security and they can do whatever the hell they want.”

 

He mulled that over, his expression concerned. Darcy wrung her hands together again. “Please don’t tell anyone. I like my job, and I don’t know how to live on the lam. I’d be really pathetic at it. Seriously. I can’t last two minutes without my phone.”

 

“I won’t tell anyone,” he promised. “But you swear to me you’re not going to hurt anyone?”

 

Darcy stared at him, affronted. “Hurt someone? No! I would never. Unless they did something truly unforgivable, like took the last of the coffee, or insulted Jane. But no, seriously. I would never use my ability for evil.” She held up two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

 

He nodded, eying her warily. “Alright,” he said, sounding uncertain. “Just...try not to show up in the middle of a war zone again.”

 

“Trust me, I will do my best to avoid it,” Darcy said whole-heartedly. “But I don’t have the best control over it, yet.”

 

He frowned at her, concern forgotten in favor of curiosity. “Why not?”

 

“It’s kinda hard to practice,” Darcy said dryly. “I can’t just click my heels together and say ‘there’s no place like home’. Sometimes I go where I want, sometimes I don’t.”

 

“Well, at least you don’t land a house on anyone,” he said, the corner of his mouth quirking upwards.

 

“In her defense, that was a very bad person,” Darcy said, shaking her finger at him. “I’d say her aim was pretty damn good.”

 

He chuckled at that, and Darcy finally relaxed. “You are remarkably okay with this whole, ‘chick’s got weird skills’ thing,” she observed. “What gives?”

 

He tilted his head at her, processing her words for a moment before he puzzled out her meaning. Then he shrugged. “Well, so far this week I’ve seen an army from outer space, two Norse gods, a man that turns into a not-so-jolly green giant, and an aircraft carrier that flies.” He smiled ruefully. “You’re not that strange in comparison.”

 

Darcy laughed. “Well, thanks for putting me in my place. And thanks for not telling anyone. I owe you. You ever need anything, and I mean anything, you let me know, okay?”

 

He eyed her and nodded slowly. “All right,” he agreed.

 

Darcy grinned at him. “Okay. Now I have to show Jane that I just met Captain freakin’ America!”

 

XxxXxxX

 

She was inside Loki’s cell again, facing the golden barrier. Darcy whirled around to see Loki watching her, a book forgotten in his hand. Darcy backed away, but was careful not to touch the forcefield. “Just...stay away from me,” she ordered, holding out a hand to ward him off.

 

He tilted his head at her. “This is the fourth time you have come to visit me, norn. Should I be flattered?”

 

“I’m not coming here by choice, trust me,” Darcy said, edging further away from him. “You try anything and I will cut you.”

 

He put the book aside. “I have no intention of harming you,” he assured her. “After all, it would appear I am in your debt.”

 

“Speaking of which,” Darcy jabbed her finger in his direction. “I was in your head. Why didn’t you tell Thor what Thanos and the Other did to you?”

 

Loki’s expression darkened with a startling swiftness. “As if that matters to anyone,” he snapped. “You speak of things you do not understand.”

 

“I know they tortured you,” Darcy insisted. “I know they threatened you.”

 

Loki rose to his feet and stalked over towards her. She skittered backwards until her back met unyielding, white stone. He loomed over her, hands clenched into fists. “I am no one’s puppet,” he hissed at her. “I have no weakness. Thanos had no power over me.”

 

“I was in your head,” Darcy said again, fighting to keep her voice calm. “I know you’re lying.”

 

“You know nothing,” he spat, and raised a hand. What he intended to do, Darcy never found out, because he abruptly whirled away from her and stalked to the other side of the cell. Darcy breathed out a sigh of relief, her knees going weak for a moment. She was locked in a cell with a mad man. Provoking him was probably not in her best interest.

 

Oh well. Here she went again. “Thanos and the Other tortured you,” she told his back. “But that doesn’t give you an excuse to take out your pain on us. You could have asked Thor for help. You didn’t have to kill all those people.”

 

“As if their lives had any meaning,” Loki snarled, turning around again. He didn’t approach her this time, however. “As if any of them had any impact on the universe. I did your world a courtesy. Your precious humans are insignificant, ephemeral things, just waiting to be crushed out of existence.”

 

“If that were true then we wouldn’t have been able to stop you,” Darcy said.

 

Loki came at her again but Darcy refused to let herself flinch. Once more he loomed over her, his face inches from her, but again he seemed reluctant to physically touch her.

 

“Do you think that I am fool enough to let the Tesseract fall into the hands of Thanos?” he demanded. “Do you think that I _ever_ intended on letting his plans come to fruition?”

 

Darcy stared at him, her mouth hanging open in shock. “You... _let_ the Avengers stop you?” she asked.

 

Loki scoffed. “The Avengers. A farce to let your people think they are safe, to let them sleep at night. I am quite capable of out-thinking my brother and a handful of mortal clods.”

 

He seemed calmer when he turned away this time, clasping his hands behind his back as he paced away. Darcy slowly slid to the floor, heart pounding.

 

“What?” she asked. “How… Why…” she was unable to finish any of her thoughts out loud. She stared at Loki. “You are one twisted son of a bitch,” she finally said. “So what now? You’re too proud to tell Odin and Thor the truth, so you’re going to rot in this cell for the rest of your life?”

 

He looked over his shoulder at her and smirked. “Oh, I have no intention of staying in this cell, little norn. In fact, I will not be staying in this cell for long at all.”

 

Darcy glared at him. “Yeah? How d’you figure that?”

 

He pointed at her. “You are going to free me.”

 

She crossed her arms over her chest. “And why the hell would I do that? You may not have been working with Thanos, but you still killed a lot of humans. From where I sit, you deserve to be in here.”

 

“You will free me as your part of our bargain,” Loki informed her smugly.

 

“What bargain?” Darcy demanded.

 

“I will teach you to use your powers, and you will assist me in getting free of this cell,” Loki said, sitting on his couch and leaning forward, hands propped on his knees.

 

Darcy eyed him. “Why, why, _why_ , on all of God’s green earth, would I let you teach me how to use my powers?”

 

“Because I am the only one who has offered to do so,” he replied.

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy clutched her Asgardian robe tight at her chest. Heimdall had given it to her the first day they’d gone into the city. It was deep emerald green, intricate knotted patterns woven into the soft fabric. It was loose enough to conceal her clothing and light enough to not be encumbering. She loved it, and kind of wished she could bring it with her back to Earth.

 

She knew she was stalling, putting off the inevitable. She had known this day was coming for a long time, but she had always hoped that she could somehow avoid it. She had spun out a thousand different scenarios, and most of them ended with her in tears.

 

She was lurking just outside the entrance to the Bifrost. It had finally been rebuilt, but over the last few weeks she’d been simply too busy to come see it. Jane had needed her in the lab for long hours, and her precious few hours of sleep had been needed for rest, not sight-seeing. Now that the analysis of the portal data was finally done, Darcy had a few days off while Jane considered SHIELD’s offer to stay on permanently.

 

Darcy peeked into the Bifrost chamber. Heimdall was waiting, his eyes fixed on something only he could see, his hands resting on the hilt of his sword in its stand on the dais. Then, at some unseen signal, he pressed the sword down. Darcy stepped away from the chamber as it activated, the wind of its movement fluttering her robe around her body. She held her hair back from her face with one hand and waited.

 

A pillar of rainbow-colored energy pierced the darkness of the space beyond the Bifrost and slammed into the chamber with enough force to shake the ground beneath Darcy’s feet, connecting the bridge. She waited until the chamber stopped spinning before looking in again.

 

She recognized the others from New Mexico. She’d been briefly introduced, but she knew them now by reputation, and knew each of their names. Sif, Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun. Thor’s friends and battle brothers. She didn’t try to read them, she respected their privacy, but she focused on the figure in the center, with the mane of disheveled golden hair and a billowing red cape.

 

Thor.

 

Darcy took a deep breath and stepped into the chamber. Thor had his back to her, speaking to Heimdall. Heimdall saw Darcy and gave her an infinitesimal nod of acknowledgment. She folded her hands in front of her and waited. None of the others noticed or recognized her. In her robe, with her hair loose, and no glasses, she looked no different than any other citizen of Asgard, albeit a little bit shorter.

 

“There is someone here to see you,” Heimdall told Thor, gesturing past the prince. Thor turned sharply, a curious frown stamped on his features. The frown grew into confusion.

 

“Darcy?” he asked in disbelief. He strode off the dais towards her. She waved awkwardly.

 

“Hi,” she said, trying bravely to smile.

 

“How did you come to be here?” Thor demanded.

 

Darcy gestured vaguely and then shrugged. “I...There’s something I’ve gotta tell you. Can we talk in private?”

 

Thor glanced around before focusing on her face again. “Is Jane here?” he asked quietly.

 

Darcy shook her head. “She doesn’t know I’m here,” she told him. She caught the look of disappointment that flashed across his face but he hid it well. He switched Mjolnir to his other hand and offered her his arm.

 

“If you desire to speak in private, I would be honored to escort you to the palace,” he told her gravel.

 

Darcy managed the smile and tucked her hand into his elbow.

 

“Go ahead of me, my friends,” Thor called to the others. “I have business to attend to.”

 

“It cannot be truly business if it involves such a beautiful maiden,” Fandral said, coming over and bowing deeply. He tried to catch Darcy’s free hand but she hid it behind her back.

 

“Get on with you, scoundrel,” Thor said, pushing him gently away. “The lady is a friend, not one of your conquests.”

 

Sif came over and seized the back of Fandral’s collar. easily dragging him along with her. “Pay him no mind, my lady,” she told Darcy. “He knows not how to mind his tongue.”

 

Darcy realized that Thor’s friends had no idea who she was. They had no reason to suspect that she was Midgardian, or anything out of the ordinary. “I don’t mind,” she assured Sif. “I’ve known lots of men like him. He doesn’t bother me.”

 

“Come along with you,” Volstagg boomed, helping Sif drag Fandral away. “The kitchen’s await us! We will feast!” Hogun trailed along behind them with an amused smile, nodding to Thor as he passed.

 

Thor set off along the bridge at a much slower pace, more suited to Darcy’s significantly smaller stature. “Did Heimdall bring you to Asgard?” he asked after a moment.

 

“No, I came here myself,” Darcy told him. She was making an effort to speak English so as not to give away the game early, and the concentration required was giving her a mild headache.

 

Thor frowned at her again. “How is that possible?”

 

Darcy took another deep breath. “Because I’m not human. Technically. I might be, I’m not certain, but I’ve got...powers.”

 

Thor stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. “Powers,” he repeated. “Of what kind?”

 

Darcy tilted her head up and looked him square in the eyes. “I’m a norn,” she told him flatly.

 

Thor went very still, his expression unreadable. He slowly unengaged his arm from hers and stepped back, then bowed respectfully to her. “My lady, I did not know. I beg your pardon if my conduct was too familiar.”

 

Darcy blushed deeply and pressed her hands to her cheeks to hide her embarrassment. “God, no, Thor, don’t do that. I’m still me. I’m still just Darcy. I didn’t even know I was a norn until after you came to Earth. I’m still trying to figure everything out.”

 

Thor straightened and peered down at her curiously. “How did you not know you are a norn? The norns are eternal, guardians of the wisdom of the universe.”

 

“Well, I’m special,” Darcy said with a shrug. “I was born on Earth twenty-two years ago just like every other human. I was eight before I noticed I was different, and I was twelve when I first came here.” She gestured around them. “I can dream-walk,” she explained quickly.

 

Thor rubbed his chin in thought. “If I had not had my strength diminished when we saw each other last, I would have recognized you,” he told her.

 

“You actually helped me realize what I was,” Darcy told him. “Before you crash landed into our corner of the desert, I had no proof that I wasn’t just bug nuts.”

 

“And you have not told Jane?” Thor asked.

 

Darcy shook her head. “There’s only a handful of people who know what I can do, and an even smaller handful who know what I am. It’s pretty much Heimdall, you, and Lady Frigga.” She purposefully left out Loki. She could guess what Thor’s reaction would be if he knew Darcy was visiting his adopted brother.

 

Thor’s eyebrows jumped up his forehead. “Lady Frigga? You are known to her?”

 

“We talk sometimes, why?” Darcy asked, suddenly nervous.

 

Thor chuckled. “She is my mother.”

 

Darcy’s mouth dropped open. “Lady Frigga...is your _mother_?” she squeaked. “She’s the _queen of Asgard_? Holy crap!”

 

Thor laughed again. “Did she not tell you this? She must have had her reasons.”

 

“I can’t believe I got psychic lessons from the queen of freakin’ Asgard,” Darcy said weakly. She slapped her hand over her face. “Oh, my God, she saw me drunk.”

 

Thor clasped her on the shoulder. “Trust me, my friend. She has seen me do far worse.”

 

Darcy peeked at him through her fingers. “Intrigued. Do go on.”

 

Thor shook his head. “Another time, perhaps. Tell me, Darcy, why did you come to me now?”

 

Darcy lowered her hand. “I need your advice. And I can’t talk to Jane because doesn’t know about what I am, and I can’t go to Heimdall because he told me I had to figure things out for myself...and now I know I can’t go to Lady Frigga because she is your flipping _mother_ …” She shrugged. “You’re all I’ve got left, buddy.”

 

Thor squeezed her shoulder. “Ask. I will help you in any way I can.”

 

Darcy wrung her hands together as she spoke. “I have this feeling...like something bad is going to happen. And I want to be able to stop it, but I don’t know if I can, not know. And, I have the chance to learn more about my powers, but I have to compromise, like, a lot, in order to do it. But if I don’t get stronger, someone I really, really care about could get hurt. Maybe die.”

 

Thor studied her for a long moment. “You are speaking of Jane, are you not?”

 

Darcy nodded miserably. “I had a dream about her dying. Except it wasn’t a dream, it was more like a memory...of the future. I can’t let anything happen to her, Thor. She’s my best friend.”

 

Thor shifted his weight and hefted Mjolnir in his hand as he thought. She knew he was divided between his sense of morals and his feelings for Jane. That was why she had come to him, of all people. He would understand her need to protect Jane.

 

“Do you feel you must compromise yourself to a degree you would lose yourself?” he asked.

 

Darcy thought hard about that. “I could keep myself...myself, I think. But I might have to do something I might regret.”

 

“Would it be worth it?” Thor asked her. “To save Jane?”

 

“Yes,” Darcy said without hesitating.

 

Thor nodded slowly. “Then I would do anything I could to save someone I loved.”

 

Darcy nodded back. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Thanks.”

 

“Darcy,” Thor said. “This...dream of yours. If this day comes, and Jane is in danger, you will get word to me, yes?”

 

Darcy reached out with both hands and laid them on his arm. “Trust me, big guy. If anything happens to Jane, I will drag your ass to Earth myself.”

 

“Are you capable of that?” Thor asked curiously.

 

“I have no idea,” Darcy said honestly. “But I will try my damndest.”

 

Thor tilted his head at her. “Why have you not told Jane what you are?”

 

Darcy waved a hand in front her face. “Dude. Even I don’t know everything that’s going on with this. I say ‘norn’ and that means something to you, but you know more about them than I do, and Jane knows even less.”

 

“She would want to understand,” Thor told her. “She would try to understand.”

 

“I want to wait until I understand,” Darcy said. “I don’t have anything to give her right now except ‘surprise! Homechick’s got wacky powers!’ and Jane deserves more than that.”

 

“You are frightened of what she might say,” Thor observed.

 

“I was scared of what you might say,” she admitted.

 

Thor shrugged. “The ways of the norns are inscrutable to us. Whatever your will, it is my duty to accept it.”

 

Darcy gave him an uneasy look. “Yeah. Don’t ever say anything like that again. It’s damn creepy. Just, let’s keep this on the DL until I give the thumbs up, okay?”

 

He raised his eyebrows at her. “I understand your meaning, but not your words. I will honor your wishes, my friend.”

 

Darcy relaxed. “Thanks, big guy. You’re the best.”

 

Thor gestured at the city in the near distance. “We will be celebrating our return. You are welcome to join us.”

 

Darcy smiled and shook her head. “Thanks,” she said again, “But I’ve got to get back. My alarm clock’s gonna go off in, like, two hours, and I’d like to get at least a teensy bit of sleep before Jane rises from the dead and starts demanding brains.”

 

Thor frowned at her. “Brains?” he echoed uncertainly.

 

“Yeah, you know, zombie?” Darcy blinked at him. “Jane’s not really a morning person. Mental note, next time you come to Earth we are marathoning _The Walking Dead_.”

 

Thor nodded slowly. “I will await it with much anticipation.”

 

Darcy grinned at him. “Awesome. I’m gonna go now, but do me a favor and give my robe back to Heimdall. He knows where to keep it.”

 

Thor nodded again. “It was a great pleasure to see you again, Darcy.”

 

She impulsively lunged forward and hugged him. “You too, Thor.”

 

XxxXxxX

 

The dungeons were still and silent as Darcy padded on bare feet down the corridor. She still didn’t know how to enter or exit the dungeons from the palace, but that was the advantage of dream-walking: it occasionally offered shortcuts.

 

Less than half of the cells were filled as she passed them, but their occupants were asleep or pacing listlessly, as if some kind of external force fostered a widespread sense of ennui. Whatever the cause, Loki seemed immune, because he was, as usual, reading with intense interest as she arrived. She recognized the book in his hands. It was the red and gold one Frigga had shown her, the one about norns.

 

He looked up when she stopped on the other side of the barrier, setting the book aside as he rose smoothly to his feet. “Hello, little norn,” he said with a knife-edge smile, coming to stand in front of her. “Have you thought on my offer?”

  
Darcy took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Then, before she could talk herself out of it, she said, “All right. I’m in.”


	5. A Vision With Nowhere To Go

Loki’s smile grew sharper and he leaned forward, the golden barrier thickening in response. “I knew you would come around to my way of thinking,” he told her.

  


“Don’t flatter yourself,” Darcy snapped at him. “You’re a desperate means to an end.”

  


“Desperation is a powerful motivator,” Loki agreed. “So, little norn. Now that our bargain is struck, do I at least get to know your name?”

  


She crossed her arms. “Darcy,” she replied reluctantly.

  


His expressions shifted. “That is not your true name,” he observed.

  


“It’s the only one you’re getting,” Darcy said.

  


“It’s not wise to conceal information from your tutor,” he said.

  


“Yeah, well, it’s also not wise to trust a mass-murdering psychopath, either,” Darcy told him.

  


“Oh, I would strongly advise against trusting me,” Loki agreed. “You are far too intelligent to make that mistake.”

  


Darcy frowned. “Thank....you?” she said uncertainly.

  


Loki backed away from the forcefield and gestured. “I am not going to teach you from there. Come inside.”

  


She scowled. “I can’t.”

  


“You had no trouble before,” Loki pointed out.

  


“I can’t always control where I end up when I dreamwalk,” Darcy told him, annoyed. “And I can’t just hop from place to place while I’m dreamwalking.”

  


He tilted his head. “How do you have so much power yet so little control?”

  


“Because I’ve been trying to figure all this out on my own,” Darcy spat. “I didn’t have anyone to teach me, okay? I didn’t even know I was a norn until last year, and I still don’t even know what exactly a norn does.”

  


“The norns are eternal,” Loki told her. “They guard the secrets of the universe.”

  


“But what does that _mean_?” Darcy burst out. “In practical terms, what does that mean for _me_?”

  


“It means, Darcy, that the fate of the universe quite literally rests in your hands.”

  


Darcy blinked at him a few times and then sighed. “Great. So no pressure.”

  


Loki clasped his hands behind his back. “The secret to all control is discipline,” he said briskly. “You have no discipline, so you have no control.”

  


“Gee, thanks,” Darcy snarked. Loki levelled a flat look at her.

  


“I cannot teach you if you are not receptive,” he told her.

  


Darcy uncrossed her arms and frowned. “Okay,” she said. “Discipline. Go on.”

  


“Discipline must rule all aspects of your life to be truly effective,” Loki said. “Your waking life; is it orderly?”

  


“Orderly?” Darcy echoed, and rubbed the side of her nose. “Not exactly.”

  


“Make it so,” Loki instructed. “Eat and sleep regularly, at the same times each day. Set aside time for exercise and meditation.”

  


“Meditation?” Darcy repeated.

  


Loki gave her another flat look. “Your mind is your greatest tool, and your greatest enemy. Some say that true power comes from the heart. They are wrong. All power comes from the mind. You must have complete control over your thoughts if you are to control your powers. If you need instruction on how to meditate, I will provide it. Do you have any combat training?”

  


Darcy stared at him blankly. “...No,” she said at length. “I’m in Poli Sci, not the army.”

  


“Combat training offers discipline of the body as well as the mind,” Loki told her. “You will need to begin that, as well. Human combat skills leave much to be desired, but it will be a start. I will instruct you in that, also.”

  


Darcy sighed heavily. “Okay. So do I get a lesson plan, or something?”

  


“Set your waking hours in order,” Loki said. “That is your first lesson. If you must, write down your daily tasks. Complete them in a timely manner. Return here when you have done so.”

  


Darcy rolled her eyes. “Awesome. Thanks a lot. I didn’t realize all I needed was a life coach.”

  


“You accepted my offer,” Loki reminded her. “If you truly wish to master your power, you will follow my instructions.”

  


“Fine!” Darcy said, throwing up her hands. She checked her watch. “It’s almost seven o’clock. I gotta go. Ja--my boss is gonna wake up any minute and she needs coffee first thing.”

  


Loki dismissed her with a wave. “Remember what I have said. Discipline.”

  


“Yeah, yeah," Darcy muttered. “Discipline.”

  


Darcy opened her eyes a second before the alarm on her phone went off, and she rolled over to shut it off. “I’m really gonna do this,” she whispered to herself. But the images of her dream--prophecy--were still vivid in her mind. She was not going to let anything happen to Jane on her watch.

  


Darcy hauled herself out of bed and took an I-overslept-and-am-already-fifteen-minutes-late-for-class shower before heading into the kitchen. Jane was poking random buttons on the coffee machine, trying to get it to dispense coffee, and Darcy shooed her out of the way.

  


“Three degrees and you can’t work a friggin’ Keurig,” Darcy muttered, fixing Jane’s coffee and placing it into her hands. “Okay, listen up, Janey, ‘cause we’re gonna make some changes around here.”

  


Jane shook her head. “Not before coffee,” she protested, shuffling over to the pantry and digging out a package of poptarts. Darcy gingerly took them away from her.

  


“How the hell did these get in here?” Darcy demanded, eying the silver foil package as if it were toxic. “This is a Kosher household.”

  


Jane looked guilty. “I may have requested them,” she said.

  


Darcy glared at Jane and tossed the poptarts into the trash. “Kosher. Household.” Darcy shuddered and wiped her hands on her pants. “And that brings me to my first subject. No more skipping meals and no more eating out of a package. We are going to have regular meals of real food.”

  


“Our schedule doesn’t always allow for that, Darce,” Jane said, looking wistfully at the trashcan. Darcy shook her head as she opened the refrigerator door.

  


“We’ll make it allow it. Meat or dairy?”

  


Jane thought for a moment. “Dairy.”

  


Darcy began pulling out the ingredients she needed. “You are going to kill yourself if you keep going the way you have been. Now that we work for SHIELD, we’re gonna actually get your life into some semblance of order, which means regular mealtimes, and honest-to-god work hours.”

  


Jane stared at Darcy, clutching her coffee mug with both hands. “Where is this coming from all of the sudden?” she demanded.

  


Darcy waved a wooden spoon. “SHIELD offered me a salary,” she explained, only half a lie. “If I’m gonna be paid to be your personal assistant, I’m gonna start acting like one.”

  


Jane’s eyebrows shot up. “SHIELD is paying you?” she asked, surprised. Then her expression turned to horror. “Oh, my god. When did your internship end?”

  


“Nine months ago,” Darcy told her.

  


“Oh, my god, Darcy! Why didn’t you say anything?”

  


“I was having fun.”

  


“But your classes!”

  


“Online courses,” Darcy told her. “I have nine more credits until I graduate. How awesome is that?”

  


Jane shook her head. “I can’t believe you didn’t say anything.”

  


“Jane. Stop it. I like working for you. I stayed because I wanted to. Besides, I was getting free room and board. A salary is just bonus. And this is off topic. Back to work hours. Because I’m feeling generous, I’m gonna allow you ten hours a day in the lab. Twelve if you have a breakthrough I deem worthy. Oh, and we’re gonna start exercising. SHIELD has, like, twelve gyms in the Triskelion and we’re gonna use them.”

  


Darcy stirred the blintz batter a few times. “How do you feel about martial arts?” she asked.

  


“What?” Jane demanded, staring at Darcy in disbelief.

  


“SHIELD offers self-defense classes for civilian employees,” Darcy told her. “I think we should take them.”

  


Jane sat down at the table with a morose sigh. “If this is what you’re like when you’re officially working for me, you're fired,” she said grumpily.

  


Darcy shook her spoon at her friend. “Too late. You’re stuck with me. Besides, you love my challah bread pudding.”

  


“Yeah,” Jane agreed. She took a sip of her coffee. “I might keep you around just for that.”

  


“Oh, and I need some time off next month. Just a couple of days.”

  


“Sure. Why?” Jane asked curiously.

  


“Yom Kippur,” Darcy told her. “Mom wants me to go back to Philly. She doesn’t trust me to observe it on my own.”

  


“Oh,” Jane said. “That’s the big holiday, right?”

  


“Yup,” Darcy nodded. “Mom’s always insisted we observe it as a family.”

  


“Okay, yeah, take whatever time you need,” Jane said. “Apparently I owe you nine months worth of back vacation.”

  


“I’ll take it up with SHIELD,” Darcy said, pouring batter into a frying pan. “And you’re distracting me again. We’re really going to do this, Janey.”

  


“You know I did just fine before I met you, right?” Jane asked, scowling at Darcy. Darcy flipped the blintz.

  


“No, you didn’t,” she replied. “Do you want raisins or figs in your blintzes?”

  


“We have figs?” Jane asked, perking up.

  


“Easily distracted by food,” Darcy observed. “I’m gonna have to keep that in mind next time I need you to agree to something.”

  


It took Darcy the rest of the day nagging at Jane before Jane finally relented. Darcy figured that if she had to bring discipline into her life, she might as well drag Jane along for the ride. Besides, she was serious about Jane working herself to death. The woman acted like she was the Terminator and then wondered why she would crash without warning.

  


So Darcy took Loki’s advice and drew up a schedule, outlining the times they would wake up, eat, exercise, and work. She enrolled them both in SHIELD’s self-defense classes and wasn’t sure if she should feel excitement or apprehension when she saw that Natasha was one of the instructors.

  


She dragged Jane out of the lab at noon for lunch. “We’ll eat from the cafeteria,” she told Jane. “It’s your one chance to get non-Kosher food, so you better take advantage of it.”

  


Jane dragged her feet at all of Darcy’s new changes but Darcy, when she was in the mood, was implacable, and Jane had become so used to Darcy’s presence that she could no longer fully function without Darcy’s assistance. That, and Darcy changed all the passwords to Jane’s lab computers and refused to give Jane the passwords until she agreed to Darcy’s plans. Hey, when logic failed, blackmail worked, right?

  


That night Darcy did her best to arrive in the dungeons when she fell asleep, and was pleased to find her aim had been halfway decent. She had been smart and wore real clothes to bed, so she felt less vulnerable. She could use all the confidence boosting she could get.

  


Loki was doing...something...when she arrived. He sat at a small desk in the corner of his cell, bent over with a tiny scalpel-like knife in his hand. Darcy couldn’t see what he was working on, but every once in awhile he would blow away shavings and brush his workspace clean.

  


“Yo,” Darcy said, rapping her knuckles on the stone frame of the cell. “Ice-man.”

  


Loki stopped his work and looked around at her, raising his eyebrows. “What did you call me?”

  


“Ice-man,” Darcy repeated. “You know: cold, unfeeling, and compassionless. Or did you think I was talking about the fact you’re a Frost Giant?”

  


He put down the knife and stood, walking over towards her. “You are attempting to provoke me,” he observed. “You feel threatened, so you attack first, hoping to put me on the defensive. It’s an admirable tactic, if I were an imbecile.”

  


“Great, so now we’re psychoanalyzing all of our conversations?” Darcy asked, crossing her arms, and then uncrossing them, not wanting to seem defensive, the way he had pointed out.

  


“If you are to be my student, I expect excellence in all things, include verbal riposte,” he replied.

  


“Fine, I’ll join the SHIELD debate club,” Darcy said sarcastically. “Look, I did what you told me. I put my life in order. Wrote up a schedule and everything.”

  


“See that you follow it,” Loki said.

  


“I will. Now how long until you start teaching me how to use my powers?” Darcy demanded, setting her hands on her hips.

  


He gave her a significant look. “What do you think I am doing?”

  


“I think you are trying to take control over my entire life,” Darcy said. She jabbed her finger at him. “You just want me under your thumb so you can have control over a norn.”

  


“And what control could I possibly have over you, from this cell?” Loki asked, spreading his arms to his sides. “I am, as you can see, a prisoner here.”

  


“You’ve already told me you don’t think I’m an idiot,” Darcy said, shaking her head at him. “So please don’t patronize me like that. We both know your power is in your words, not where you are. You know you are the only one who’s been willing to help me and you’re holding that over me. Don’t think I don’t know that. But that’s not how this is going to go.”

  


“Oh?” Loki asked. “Is that so?”

  


Darcy jabbed her finger at him again. “You want out of that cell. I’m you’re one shot at that. But you, however, are not my only option.”

  


“Pray tell,” Loki said, gesturing theatrically.

  


“According to Heimdall, I can learn my powers on my own. You are not necessary.”

  


“But I am your fastest means to that end,” Loki taunted her. “And you are desperate, are you not? You are not one to wait on others to get what you want.”

  


“No, I don’t,” Darcy told him. “I’m a norn. I don’t have to.”

  


Loki abruptly smiled triumphantly. “Yes,” he said softly. “That. That is what I have been waiting for.”

  


Darcy eyed him, suddenly nervous. “Ooookay?” she asked slowly.

  


“The norns are implacable,” Loki told her. “They are enactors of Fate, of the Universe. They are not to be defied.” He paced forward. “You are the greatest power in existence. You do not wait on the goodwill of others. You take what you want and you make it your own.”

  


Darcy stared at him, wide-eyed. “If you believe that,” she asked softly. “Why are you helping me?”

  


“To have a norn in my good graces,” he replied, his smile growing smug. “Well, that is a powerful thing.”

  


Darcy took a full step backwards, unease pooling in her stomach. “I will not let you have power over me,” she told him.

  


“Then we are at an impasse, my dear norn,” Loki replied. “If you cannot give me what I want, I cannot assist you.”

  


Darcy shook her head. “No. You don’t get to say no.” She stepped forward again. She took a deep breath. She didn’t know for sure if she could do this, but if she could pull it off it would be incredibly impressive. She took another deep breath and held it, letting the world crystallize around her. She could see the pulse of the force field, see the frequency it vibrated at. To her sight it flickered in and out with each pulse, and she stepped through the gap, passing easily through the barrier.

  


Loki stepped back as she marched up to him and stuck her finger in his face.

  


“You are a lying, manipulating, selfish son of a bitch. I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you, which believe me, buddy, ain’t far. So if we’re gonna do this, it’s by my rules. Got it?”

  


Loki stared down at her for a long time, his smirk wiped from his face. He took another step backward and bowed slightly, his upper body tilted forward. “Once again, I am at your mercy.”

  


Darcy squared her shoulders. “You’re damn right. Now where do we start?”

  


XxxXxxX

  


“Miss Lewis?”

  


Darcy blinked and came to herself. She was standing in the hallway of her apartment building, facing the door of the apartment she shared with Jane. Her keys were in her hand, as if she was in the act of opening or locking it, but she couldn’t remember which. She realized that someone had called her name and she looked around.

  


Captain Rogers was standing a few paces away from her. He was wearing a brown leather jacket and jeans, his hair windblown. He carried a backpack over one shoulder; he clutched the strap with one hand and had the other shoved in his pocket.

  


“Are you alright, Miss Lewis?” he asked.

  


Darcy stared at him, her brain trying to find an explanation for what was happening at this moment and couldn’t find one. “Are you stalking me?” she squinted up at him.

  


He frowned, looking suddenly nervous. “Uh...no. Why would you ask that?”

  


“Because you’re in my apartment building,” she said, blinking at him.

  


“This is my apartment building,” he replied, half turning away and then back. He shifted his weight uncomfortably. He gestured past her to the last door in the hallway. “I live in 14D.”

  


Darcy shook her keyring at him. “Does SHIELD own this whole building?” she asked.

  


“I...don’t know,” Rogers replied. “You never answered my question.”

  


“You asked a question?”

  


“Are you alright?” He enunciated each word carefully, to ensure she understood him.

  


“Yeah,” Darcy said quickly shaking herself. “Yeah. Just, haven’t slept in...you know what? I can’t remember the last time I got a decent night’s sleep.”

  


Rogers frowned again, this time in concern. “Why’s that?”

  


Darcy sighed. “Um, hang on a sec.” She reached into the bag she was carrying and pulled out a tshirt. She sniffed it experimentally and made a face. “Okay. Definitely coming.” She looked up and saw that the Captain was staring at her curiously. “Uh, dirty laundry. Coming back to the apartment to pick up new things.”

  


“You are so tired that you couldn’t remember if you were coming to your apartment or leaving?” he asked in disbelief.

  


Darcy grimaced. “Did I mention the fact I haven’t been getting much sleep lately?” She unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Come on in. Can I get you a cup of coffee?”

  


“I don’t think you need any coffee,” he commented, but still followed her into the apartment. She dropped the bag in the entryway and headed straight to the kitchen. She turned on the Keurig and got two mugs out of the cabinet.

  


“Real or soy?” she asked, opening the refrigerator.

  


“I beg your pardon?” he asked, standing awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen.

  


“Milk,” Darcy explained. “We have both. We’re not lactose intolerant or anything, we just have both, you know, ‘cause of, ‘cause of…” she trailed off, staring at him blankly for a moment before finally finishing her sentence. “No dairy and meat,” she said.

  


“You’re Jewish?” he asked, more curious than surprised.

  


She nodded. “Real or soy?”

  


“Uh, real,” he replied, and she got the bottle from the fridge and poured it into each mug before loading a kcup into the Keurig and punching the button to dispense the first cup. She placed it and the sugar bowl onto the table and made the second cup. Then she plopped down into one of the chairs at the table. She nodded at the chair across from her.

  


“Sit,” she ordered.

  


Rogers obediently sat and reached for his cup of coffee. “So, you gonna tell me why you haven’t been sleeping lately?” he asked.

  


Darcy propped her elbows on the table and stared at him over the rim for her mug. “You know how I can travel to places in my sleep?”

  


“That’s what you told me,” he replied, taking a sip from his cup. “Not really sure how it works, but I’ve seen the evidence, so…”

  


“I used to only do it sometimes,” Darcy told him, and she was not about to shock a man from the Forties with the truth about the early patterns of her dream-walking. “And I’d have plenty of time to rest in between, but these days I’m doing it pretty much every night. And that means I’m not really sleeping anymore. So.” She shrugged.

  


“Where do you go?” he asked, putting  his cup aside and resting his forearms on the table. “When you travel. How do you do it?”

  


Darcy groaned and dropped her head between her arms. “Oh boy.” She liked Captain Rogers. She really did. She didn’t have to read him to know he was a Good Guy, capital letters and all. It wasn’t a question of trusting him. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she could. The problem was more of him trusting her.

  


She looked back up. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “I’ve just been able to do it since I was thirteen. I used to not be able control it. It was a long time before I realized I was travelling, and not just crazy.” She set down her cup and rubbed her nose. “But I’ve come to the realization that I may still be crazy.”

  


“I don’t think you’re crazy,” Rogers said, giving her a thoughtful look. “This world, this...place. A lot’s happened. A lot’s changed. And...I think it might be this world that’s crazy, not you.”

  


She gave him a small smile. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s told me in a long time.”

  


He shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable. “It’s just the way I see it,” he muttered. “And you didn’t really answer my question.”

  


She tilted her head inquiringly at him. “There was a question?” she asked, half teasing.

  


“Where do you go?” he asked again, leaning forward. “When you travel?”

  


“I’ve only ever gone two places,” Darcy told him. “New York City, just the once, and Asgard.”

  


He blinked and straightened abruptly. “Asgard,” he echoed. He placed his palms on the table and leaned back. “Asgard. Where Thor and Loki are from?”

  


“Yeah,” she said with a tired smile. “One and the same.”

  


He still stared at her. “How?” he asked again.

  


“Oh my god,” she groaned. “You don’t give up, do you?”

  


He snorted. “Not really.”

  


Darcy threw her hands up with a resigned sigh. She was gonna have to tell someone human the whole truth eventually. She might as well practice on Captain America. “I’m not good at subtlety,” she said. “So I’m just gonna come out with it. I’m a norn.”

  


He frowned at her. “A norn?” he repeated.

  


Her face crumpled in disappointment. “You know, this went a lot better when I told Thor.”

  


“You told Thor?” he asked. “When did you talk to him?”

  


She scrunched up her face as she thought. “Uh...few days ago. I think. What day is today?”

  


“Tuesday,” he supplied.

  


Darcy nodded. “Yeah. Day before yesterday.”

  


“In Asgard,” he added. “Which you go to when you sleep. Because you’re a...norn.” He raised his eyebrow. “Okay. What is a norn?”

  


“Honestly, I don’t really know,” Darcy told him. “Everyone’s been kinda vague. A couple of people have told me that norns are...sort of goddesses.”

  


Rogers nodded slowly. “Goddess. Okay.” He frowned. “Really?”

  


“I don’t know,” Darcy groaned in frustration. “I really don’t know enough about it to tell you. I just know that norns are supposed to be these super-powerful, all-knowing beings and I’m...not.” She hunched in defeat. “I don’t know,” she said again. “And I haven’t slept in, like, a week. I’m having enough trouble putting a whole sentence together,much less figure out the age-old existential question of ‘who am I?’”

  


Rogers shook his head. “You’re exhausted. You need to sleep. This...this can wait.” He stood up and crossed over to her, sliding her cup away from her. “Get some rest, Miss Lewis.”

  


“Darcy,” she corrected. “If you know my secret, you can call me Darcy, Captain Rogers.”

  


“Only if you call me Steve,” he insisted. He gestured at her. “Come on. I’m making sure you get some shut eye.”

  


She giggled. “You gonna tuck me in?”

  


He colored pink up to the tips of his ears and stepped back. “I didn’t mean, I’m not saying--”

  


She waved at him. “Joking. Joking. Really, though. I’m fine, I just need a shower and caffeine.”

  


“No,” Rogers--Steve--said. “You need real sleep.”

  


“Jane’s expecting me,” Darcy protested.

  


“Well, then she probably needs to get some sleep, too.” Steve pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and tapped it a couple of times, squinting at the screen. Then he held it to his ear. “Hi, Natasha, can you find Dr Foster and make sure she gets back to her apartment? I have it on good authority she needs to get some sleep. No, Darcy’s with me.”

  


The tips of Steve’s ears colored again and Darcy clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling again. “Romanoff,” Steve said warningly into the phone. “Just make sure she gets home.” He tucked the phone back into his pocket and gave Darcy a look. “Time for you to hit the sack.”

  


She saluted him mockingly. “Aye, aye. Can I get a shower first? Pretty sure I’ve been wearing this bra for the last three days.”

  


“Geez, Miss--Darcy,” Steve said, coloring a third time. “I don’t, I really don’t--”

  


She hauled herself to her feet. “You make this too easy. Shower, then sleep.” She waved her hand around the kitchen. “Help yourself to whatever.” She shuffled into the bathroom. When she emerged fifteen (maybe more like twenty) minutes later, he was sitting at the kitchen table, his coffee cup empty. He was reading a newspaper. Darcy didn’t know where he’d gotten it. He folded it as soon as she stepped into the kitchen.

  


“All clean now,” she said, tying off the braid she’d plaited her wet hair into.

  


“Natasha should be bringing Dr Foster back any minute,” he said.

  


“You planning on babysitting us the whole time?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

  


“Just until I’m sure you’re both actually resting,” he replied, returning her look.

  


“I am an adult, you know,” she told him. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”

  


“There are times we all need someone to take care of us,” he replied softly, his eyes dark and somber.

  


She was so tempted to read him, to reach out and snatch his secrets from his brain, but she held herself back. She had seen the damage that psychic trauma could cause. She wasn’t about to risk inflicting that on someone else, even accidentally.

  


“Thanks,” was all she said out loud.

  


The front door opened and Jane walked through, followed closely by Natasha. “...And my instruments are very sensitive, they require regular calibrations. If I’m not there to monitor them, the readings are going to be compromised!” Jane was protesting.

  


Darcy pointed at Jane and asked Natasha, “She been like this for long?”

  


“The whole way back,” she replied, looking exasperated.

  


“You were in on this?” Jane demanded from Darcy. “She practically kidnapped me from my lab!” She then realized that Steve was in the room. “What is Captain America doing in our apartment?” she asked Darcy in a stage whisper.

  


“Apparently he’s our neighbor,” Darcy stage-whispered back.

  


“What?” Jane yelped, eyes snapping open.

  


“Yup,” Darcy said, nodding.

  


“Bed, both of you,” Natasha said, making shooing gestures at both of them. “The lab will still be there when you wake up.”

  


“I can’t believe you recruited Captain America to your schemes,” Jane accused Darcy.

  


“Actually I found her in the hallway,” Steve said, getting to his feet. “She’d practically fallen asleep standing up. I think it took her about ten minutes to realize I was talking to her.”

  


Darcy yawned abruptly, her jaw cracking. Natasha gave her a significant look. “Okay, okay,” Darcy said, waving her hands in defeat. “Going to bed now. See, I’m going.” She waved at them as she headed to her room, though she heard Jane start to make a new protest.

  


She managed to crawl under her covers before losing consciousness.

  


And almost as instantly found herself to be in Loki’s cell.

  


“Son of a bitch,” she groaned, and ground the heels of her hands against her eyes. She lowered them to find Loki watching her, eyebrow arched. “No,” she said, holding up a hand. “I am exhausted and I haven’t slept for weeks. I can’t handle anything more right now.”

  


“It would not be wise to teach you anything in your state,” Loki observed. “You would neither retain it, nor would it be beneficial to your health. Humans are delicate creatures, and your vessel is unfortunately human.”

  


“What, really?” Darcy asked, lowering her hand.

  


He gave her a look. “Did you expect me to tell you to push yourself beyond your limits? Only a foolish teacher demands more from their student then the student is capable.” He gestured toward toward his narrow bed. “Rest. We will continue your lessons when you are stronger.”

  


“Dude, I am not sleeping in your bed,” Darcy said, shaking her head. Loki gave her another withering look.

  


“Truly, if I had plans to bring you to my bed, I would not be so obvious that you would be able to refuse me,” he replied.

  


“That...that was smooth,” Darcy admitted, and shuffled over to the bed and flopping onto it. There was a fur blanket at the foot of the bed and she pulled it up to her chin and closed her eyes. She abruptly opened them again. “What happens if I go to sleep while I’m dreamwalking?”

  


He smiled at her. “It’s very simple, Lady Darcy. You dream.”

  


Darcy frowned. The last time she had dreamed, it had been a prophecy of Jane’s death. She didn’t relish experiencing that again. “I don’t want to dream,” she said out loud. He picked up a chair and turned it towards her before sitting back down.

  


“You fear your dreams?” he asked.

  


“No,” she said defensively. “I just do enough dreamwalking. I don’t need to dream.”

  


“Yes, I imagine it must be very taxing,” he said flatly, and reached  out to take a tiny silver vial from his desk. He handed it her. “Put a drop on your tongue.”

  


Darcy held the vial in her hand for a moment “What is this?” she asked suspiciously.

  


“It will stop your dreams,” he told her.

  


She looked at the vial and then back to him. “Why do you have this?” she asked blankly.

  


He gave her a long, level look, and it was the most honest thing she’d ever gotten from him. “Yeah,” she said. “Okay.” She unscrewed the top of the vial and tipped a drop into her mouth. It was sharp like peppermint and sweet like honey. She handed the vial back. “Thank you.”

  


“I do not need your gratitude,” he replied. “I need you to fulfill your end of our bargain, and I will do everything necessary to fulfill mine. Do not mistake that for kindness.”

  


Darcy scowled at him. “Sure. Kill the moment. You’re a jerk, you know that?”

  


“Guilty,” he said, almost smirking. “Go to sleep, Lady Darcy.”

  
“You’re not the boss of me,” Darcy mumbled, her eyes drifting shut


	6. Stay For As Long As You Have Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story has been coming along nicely!
> 
> Thank you everyone who had left comments and kudos. You are very encouraging and are helping me to get out semi-regular updates.
> 
> Thank you Bea, also, for being patient with me getting distracted by my side project, and putting up with my Stucky obsession.
> 
> This will be my last update before Christmas, so may all your Holidays be blessed!

It seemed that a good night’s rest was exactly what Darcy needed because she woke up the next morning (in her own bed on Earth, thank goodness) feeling energized and more motivated than she had in weeks. Jane must have had similar results because she was actually alert before coffee.

 

Natasha had left a note on the kitchen table, telling them when she and Steve had left, assuring them that they had locked the front door, and Steve had scribbled his phone number at the bottom. Darcy waved the note in Jane’s direction.

 

“Captain America gave me his phone number,” she crowed.

 

Jane snatched the note and read it quickly. “This is addressed to both of us,” she observed.

 

Darcy grabbed it back and took out her phone to program the number in. “Whatever. He still gave me his phone number.”

 

“We should invite him over for dinner,” Jane said. “You know, it’s the neighborly thing to do. He probably doesn’t have a lot of friends.”

 

Darcy stopped with her phone in her hand. “Crap. You’re right. He’s been back for like, what, a couple of weeks? Damn. That can’t be easy.” She put her phone away. “Yeah. We should do dinner. D’you think he likes lamb?”

 

“Darce, sweetheart,  _ everybody _ likes your lamb,” Jane assured her. 

 

Darcy preened a little. “Okay. Awesome.”

 

Erik had another appointment that morning, so Darcy dropped Jane off and picked Erik up from his quarters in the Triskelion. He was still under observation, so SHIELD was housing him on base.

 

Darcy excitedly told Erik about meeting Captain America and getting his phone number (leaving out certain details). “We’re gonna invite him over for dinner. You wanna come?”

 

Erik nodded vaguely, his attention clearly elsewhere. “Yes, yes, that would be lovely.”

 

Darcy peered closely up at the scientist. “Erik?” she asked. “Hey, you okay?”

 

“I wouldn’t know, I don’t go outside much,” he replied, shuffling along with his eyes glazed over. Darcy reached out a hand and stopped him.

 

“Erik, look at me,” she ordered. He stopped walking but didn’t meet her gaze. “Erik, look at me,” she repeated, letting a bit of the norn leak into her voice. He turned his head to obey.

 

Darcy hadn’t read Erik since the Incident, since Loki, because she’d been afraid of what she might see. Now she peered deep into Erik’s eyes, beyond them, and into his mind. It was a snarled, tangled mess, loose ends torn asunder and no longer connecting properly. It had nothing of the clear, crisp lines that she remembered from before, none of the sharp wit and lightning-fast leaps.

 

Tears pooled in Darcy’s eyes and she looked away with a loud sniff, swiping the tears away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

 

Erik frowned at her, seeing her for the first time. “Darcy?” he asked. “Why are you crying?”

 

“I’m not crying,” she lied, clearing her throat. “I’m fine. What about you? Are you fine?”

 

“Yes,” he replied, eying her curiously. “You’re still crying.”

 

“No I’m not,” she lied again, swiping at her treacherous eyes again. “We’re gonna be late for your appointment.”

 

She hustled him down to his appointment and retreated to the nearest bathroom to collect her composure. She scrubbed at her eyes with a wad of toilet paper. Her mascara was a complete loss, but at least she would avoid having racoon eyes.

 

A loud crash from next door made her jump with a blurted curse. She frowned and looked around. She left the women’s restroom and checked the hallway. The next room over was the men’s room. She knocked on the door.

 

“Hello?” she called. “Is everyone okay?” There was no reply, so she pushed the door open. “Hello?” she called again. There was another bang, quieter this time. Darcy frowned again and reached out with all her senses. She didn’t recognize the mind she encountered, but it had the same tangled, broken feeling as Erik’s.

 

Darcy heaved a deep sigh and entered the men’s room, passing the sinks. She looked around for a moment and saw Barton huddled in a corner by the stalls. His knees were drawn to his chest and his arms were circled protectively around his head.

 

Darcy edged closer, and then knelt on the tile floor. “Hey, Clint,” she called softly. “You alright?”

 

He responded by drawing in tighter on himself with a short huff of air. Darcy sat back on her heels. “Oh, boy,” she said to herself. “Clint, can you hear me?” she said. “It’s Darcy. I’m right here. I’m not going to come any closer, but I want to make sure you’re okay. Can you tell me you’re okay?”

 

He didn’t reply, and Darcy reached out towards his mind again. She didn’t dare do more than read him with the lightest of touches. With the state of his mind, she didn’t want to accidentally make him worse. She couldn’t tell if he was aware of her presence, he was so wrapped up inside his own head.

 

Darcy pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent a quick text to Steve. She hoped someone had shown him how to text. She put her phone away and turned back to Clint.

 

“Clint, it’s Darcy again. I need you to listen to me, okay? You’re safe. You’re in the Triskelion. Loki...Loki is far away. He can’t hurt you anymore. Clint?”

 

It was like dragging her hands through broken glass. The sharp pieces of his mind cut her deeply, and tears started in her eyes again. How could she not have realized how badly damaged Clint and Erik were? She was a norn, she should have seen this much sooner.

 

Darcy sat cross-legged on the floor and propped her elbows on her knees. “Hey, I never told you the story of how I tased Thor, did I?” she asked. “So we were in the desert, right? Middle of New Mexico. Jane was chasing this celestial event so we were camped out waiting for it and then all of the sudden there was this rainbow tornado of doom. And Jane is all like, ‘drive!’ Right, so she wants me to drive right into this rainbow tornado. Uh-huh. Sure.”

 

Darcy shifted uncomfortably. The tile was hard and her butt was already starting to go numb but she didn’t get up or change position. “So we drive into the tornado, okay? And at the last minute Jane grabs the wheel and then all of the sudden, wham, we hit this guy. He’d come out of nowhere--we didn’t see him or anything. And we all pile out of the van: me, Jane, and Erik, and run over to him. He’s just flat on his back, right? And then Jane’s all, ‘Do me a favor, don’t be dead.’ Well, he’s not dead.”

 

Clint loosened from his huddle, his arms lowering enough for Darcy to see his eyes, which were now focused on her. She smiled and kept talking. “He gets up, right? And he’s yelling all sorts of crap. ‘What realm is this?’ and ‘Heimdall, open the Bifrost!’ Totally freaking us out. So I whip out my taser ‘cause who knows what this dude is gonna do? And he’s all like, ‘How dare you threaten Thor with so puny a weapon?’ And I just hit him. Like,  _ wham _ , and he goes down, totally out. Which was a good thing, because we had to haul his ass to the hospital and there’s no way we could have done that while he was awake.”

 

She shifted again. “You know, he was kinda an asshole at first. But he got over it pretty quickly. I think we knocked some sense into him the second time we hit him with the monster.”

 

The door opened quietly behind her, but she didn’t look around until a hand gently touched her shoulder. It was Natasha. She crouched next to Darcy, giving the younger woman a quick nod. “Hey, Clint,” she called. “You okay?”

 

He exhaled loudly. “...No,” he said at length.

 

“You wanna tell me what’s wrong?” Natasha prompted.

 

Clint grunted. “No,” he said again.

 

“Okay,” Natasha said. “You know where you are, right? Can you tell me where you are?”

 

There was a long pause, and then Clint said, “Not on the helicarrier?”

 

“That’s right,” Natasha said soothingly. “Not on the helicarrier. You’re at the Triskelion, and you’re safe. Can you say that for me?”

 

Clint grunted again, but obediently parroted her words. “At the Triskelion. Safe.”

 

“That’s right,” Natasha repeated. “You’re safe.” She turned to Darcy. “I heard what you told him. You did good. That’s what he needed. I can take it from here, if you want.”

 

“Okay,” Darcy said, and slowly got to her feet. She backed out of the bathroom to find Steve guarding the doorway. “Thanks for getting Natasha,” she told him. 

 

“How is he?” Steve asked, his hands in his pockets.

 

“He’s rough, but Natasha knows what she’s doing,” Darcy said. She rubbed her eyes. “I can’t believe I didn’t see this before.”

 

“How could you possibly have seen this?” Steve asked her.

 

Darcy groaned. “Dreamwalking isn’t the only ability a norn has,” she said. She dropped her hand and looked at him. “I’m kinda psychic, too.”

 

He nodded slowly. “You can read minds,” he said, sounding as if he wasn’t sure he really believed her.

 

Darcy shook her head. “I can read  _ people _ . I pick up on emotions, personality, bits of your past and future, defining characteristics, but not necessarily  _ thoughts _ . I could tell that Erik and Clint were messed up by what Loki did to them, but I didn’t realize…” she trailed off and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m such an idiot.”

 

“This isn’t your fault,” Steve said dutifully.

 

She waved a hand at him. “No, not about that. I’m an idiot if I ever thought that--” she cut herself off abruptly before she could blurt out her secret. Steve had taken the truth well so far, but no way was she going to tell him she had made a deal with Loki. “Never mind,” she muttered.

 

“Can I ask you a personal question?” Steve asked, tilting his head to look down at her.

 

She shrugged. “Sure.”

 

“Are you human?”

 

Darcy snorted. “I get asked that a lot, believe it or not. And yes, as far as I know, I am. I am just also a norn, which is not human. I have no idea how I can be both. Still trying to figure things out.”

 

He nodded again. “What else can you do?” 

 

“Uh, I am the ultimate cat-whisperer. I can summon butterflies. I can do this weird thing with time where everything sorta slows down. I can predict the weather.” Darcy thought for a moment. “And sometimes I can see the future. Sort of. Maybe.” She shrugged a second time. “Like I said. Figuring things out.”

 

Steve glanced at the door to the restroom. “Can you help Barton?” he asked quietly.

 

Darcy shook her head. “Not without his permission. He’s had enough people messing with his head. I’m not going to go in there without his knowledge. And I can’t go around telling people who I am and what I can do.”

 

“Why did you tell me?” Steve asked.

 

She smiled ruefully. “Because I knew I could trust you. You know what it’s like to have...abilities...you’re not comfortable with, and you know how to keep a secret.”

 

He grimaced. “Yeah,” he said tightly.

 

Darcy gestured. “I gotta get back to Jane. I’ll see you around.”

 

He nodded. “Of course.”

 

Darcy turned to go and then turned back. “Hey, Jane and I were thinking you might like to have dinner with us some night. You know, a neighbor thing.”

 

He frowned. “That’s...that’s really… You don’t have to do that.”

 

“We want to,” Darcy assured him. “Do you like red flannel stew?”

 

“Don’t think I’ve ever had it,” he admitted.

 

Darcy nodded decisively. “Good. I’ll make red flannel stew with lamb. You’ll love it. How about Tuesday night? Seven o’clock?”

 

He opened his mouth, closed it, and then nodded back. “That would be lovely, thank you, Darcy.”

 

She smiled. “Awesome. See you then.”

Darcy was quiet when she got back to Jane, and remained that way for the rest of the day, fuming in silence. Jane picked up on Darcy’s mood but didn’t press when Darcy refused to explain why she was upset. Jane didn’t need to know about Erik and Clint’s mental conditions. She had enough stuff to worry about.

 

Darcy continued to fume that night as she prepared dinner, and found she was too angry to sleep. After Jane went to bed Darcy aggressively cleaned the apartment, set two loaves of challah bread to rise, and tried to work on transcribing Jane’s notes into the computer, but kept getting distracted on the last task.

 

With a defeated sigh, Darcy left her computer and stepped out onto the balcony, letting the tepid spring breeze ruffle her hair. DC was not very different from New York, it never truly slept, and even past midnight, the sound of traffic was still strong.

 

Darcy leaned her forearms against the railing and inhaled the smells of warm asphalt, car fumes, and stale water from the Potomac. “Heimdall,” she said out loud. “I don’t know if you’re listening right now, but I need to get to Asgard, and I can’t do it my way. So if you could help a sister out…”

 

There was no reply, even after she waited for several minutes. Darcy sighed again and dropped her head to her chest. “Son of a bitch,” she muttered, and turned to go back inside.

 

A beam of energy slammed into her with enough force to knock her off her feet but she didn’t fall, she was sucked upward so fast the breath was driven from her lungs. The energy surrounded her, cradled her, flashing in a myriad of colors. Through the beam of energy she could see stars flashing by, galaxies wheeling past her through the emptiness of space, and the only thing separating her from the void was the thin wall of the energy beam.

 

And then, almost too fast for her to realize what had happened, Darcy was standing in the Bifrost chamber, the walls slowing down from their spinning, while Heimdall stepped down from the dais.

 

“Welcome back, Darcy Lewis,” he said, grinning at the stunned expression on her face.

 

“What. The. Hell,” Darcy gasped, still frozen in place. She felt her hair and then patted herself down to make sure she was still in one piece.

 

“You  _ did  _ request to come to Asgard,” Heimdall reminded her.

 

“I asked you to help me  _ dreamwalk _ ,” Darcy exclaimed. She turned around in a circle. It was cold in the Bifrost chamber, colder than she’d ever noticed. She had goosebumps. She could taste the salt on the air, sharp and bitter. Everything was so much more  _ real _ , more present, than she’d ever experienced before.

 

“This was more efficient,” Heimdall said with a shrug.

 

“You sent a giant rainbow tornado to the middle of the city!” Darcy yelped. “People will have seen it!  _ SHIELD _ will have seen it!”

 

“Do you have no faith in me?” Heimdall grinned at her. “I can be subtle, when I choose to be. I assure you, no one will have observed your departure.”

 

Darcy took a couple deep breaths to calm down. She looked around the Bifrost again. “Holy shit,” she blurted. “I’m actually here, aren’t I? I’m really in Asgard for real.”

 

“Yes, you are,” Heimdall told her. “It is far overdue, I think.”

 

“Holy shit,” Darcy said again, and looked down. “...Aaaand I’m wearing Star Wars pajamas,” she observed morosely. 

 

“It is my duty to be prepared at all times, Darcy Lewis,” Heimdall chided her, and handed her the green robe he kept for her. Darcy took it gratefully and slipped it on, tying the sash.

 

“I need to get to the dungeons,” Darcy said, pulling her hair free and taking off her glasses. She tucked them into her sash; she didn’t actually need them, she just used them to throw people off.

 

“For what purpose?” Heimdall asked, frowning down at her.

 

“I need to punch Loki in his fucking face,” Darcy growled, and stomped across the chamber towards the door. Heimdall caught up with her in a few strides.

 

“The Allfather has forbidden Loki any visitors,” he warned her.

 

“Well, I keep hearing that the norns don’t answer to nobody,” Darcy retorted. “So I don’t really give a damn. How do I get there from here?”

 

“I do not advise you to speak with Loki,” Heimdall said, easily keeping pace with her as she stomped down the bridge toward the city. “He is crafty and has a way of twisting minds.”

 

“Don’t plan on speaking with him,” Darcy replied. “Just punching. If you’re not gonna show me where the dungeons are, don’t bother coming with me.”

 

Heimdall laid a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. “Darcy Lewis,” he said gravely. “Loki is dangerous. Were he to know there was a norn here, in a human body, he would find a way to use that to his advantage.”

 

Darcy shrugged his hand away. “I can take care of myself, Heimdall,” she said coldly. “Now show me the dungeons or leave me alone.”

 

Heimdall sighed and pulled a golden disk out of a niche in his armor. He placed it in her palm. “This will guide you wherever you need to go. Simply speak your destination and it will show you the way.”

 

Darcy stared down at the small device, caught slightly off guard. “Thanks,” she said, and then looked up at him. “I mean it. Thank you, Heimdall.”

 

He smiled sadly down at her. “I serve at the pleasure of the norns,” he replied. He inclined his head towards her. “It is my pleasure to serve you, Darcy Lewis.”

 

She smiled back at him, equally sadly. Then she held the disk out in front of her and spoke in a clear voice, “The dungeons.” The image of a compass formed out of motes of golden light above the surface of the disk, the needle pointing straight for the city. Darcy took a deep breath and started walking.

 

It took her an hour to reach the palace. The compass led her through the palace corridors and down staircases until she reached a massive door guarded by two men in blue and gold armor. She slowed down as she approached them and they stared challengingly at her.

 

“Uh, hi,” she said, still holding the compass in  front of her. “I’m Dar-” She cut herself off. “I’m Lady Sigyn,” she started again. “Heimdall gave me permission to get through here.”

 

The guards looked at each other and back to her. “Only the Allfather can give leave to descend into the dungeons,” one said, frowning. He gripped his spear a little tighter, and took a step towards her.

 

Darcy took a long step backwards. “What about Lady Frigga?” she asked quickly. “Lady Frigga said I could go anywhere in the palace I wanted.” 

 

The guard paused and gave her a closer look. “What is your name?” he asked.

 

“Uh...Darcy Lewis?” Darcy said uncertainly.

 

The guards exchanged another look, and then they turned to pull open the doors. “Be cautious,” the first guard told her as she stepped through the doors. “It is easy to lose your way.”

 

Darcy showed him the compass. “I’ll be okay,” she assured him.

 

However, as soon as she stepped through the doors, the image of the compass disappeared. She stared down at it, alarmed, and tapped the disk a couple of times. Then she looked up and realized the compass had completed its task by taking her to the dungeons. She held it to her mouth and whispered so the guards couldn’t hear. “Loki’s cell.”

 

The compass appeared again, glowing comfortingly in the gloom of the dungeon corridor. She followed it quickly as it led her deeper into the labyrinth that was the dungeons, twisting and turning until she finally reached Loki’s cell.

 

He was sitting at his desk again, working with the scalpel. He looked up when Darcy arrived, his expression almost brightening. Darcy shoved the compass into her sash and stepped through the barrier as easily as she had the last time. Loki rose to his feet to greet her, and Darcy punched him square in the nose.

 

He recoiled a step away from her, startled, hands coming up in a defensive pose, but he made no move to retaliate. Instead he simply stared at her. “Why did you do that?” he demanded, sounding almost hurt.

 

“Because I finally got the guts to see what you did to Erik and Clint,” she told him through gritted teeth. She set her hands on her hips and squared off with him. “You  _ destroyed _ their minds,” she accused him. “They will never be the same again, and it’s  _ your fault _ .” She stepped forward and jabbed a finger into his chest. “You are a lying, manipulative, psychotic sack of shit. I can’t believe I was ever stupid enough to think I could help you.”

 

She jabbed his chest again, forcing him a step backwards. “You deserve to rot in this cell for the rest of your life and so help me I will make sure you do it.”

 

His face darkened and he slapped her hand away. “We made a bargain, norn,” he hissed at her.

 

“Well, I am  _ ending  _ our bargain,” she snapped back at him. “Don’t forget,  _ I _ hold the power here, not you.”

 

“You will never come into your full power without my instruction,” he spat at her. “You’re nothing but a puling mortal, grasping at things you can never understand. You will age and die long before you discover even a fraction of your abilities. You will be  _ nothing _ .”

 

Darcy stepped away from him. “I would rather be nothing than accept help from  _ you _ ,” she sneered. She turned to leave and he grabbed her arm with terrible strength.

 

Darcy didn’t pause to think. She pushed back with the arm he’d taken and swept it against his chest. Loki flew off his feet and landed hard on the floor, knocking over a chair and a table of books. He looked up at her from the floor, eyes wide in shock. Darcy glared back at him.

 

“ _ Never _ touch me without my permission, ever again,” she said in a low, dangerous voice. She turned, keeping her head high, and stepped through the barrier once more, marching back the way she had come. As soon as she was out of sight of Loki’s cell, she stopped and leaned against the wall.

 

“What the fuck?” she asked herself quietly, starting to hyperventilate. How the hell had she managed to knock a  _ Frost Giant _ on his ass? She hadn’t even thought about it; she had just  _ reacted _ . Did this mean she had super strength or something?

 

She rubbed her forehead, eyes squeezed shut. “I need a drink,” she muttered. She pulled the disk out of her sash and stared at it for a moment. “Lady Frigga’s sitting room,” she instructed it. The compass appeared and spun around to point her way.

 

When Darcy arrived at the door to Lady Frigga’s sitting room, the door was open. She poked her head inside but there was no one there. Cautiously, she edged inside and looked around. She turned the compass over in her hand. “I don’t suppose  _ you _ know where Lady Frigga is,” she muttered at it, slipping it back into her sash.

 

Darcy walked over to one of the couches and plopped down with a sigh, leaning forward to rest her head in her hands. She was tired again, despite having actually gotten a decent night’s sleep the night before--thanks to Loki. She grimaced. Of all the bad decisions she had ever made, that one took the cake. She couldn’t believe she was so blind that she actually went to  _ Loki _ for help. She could kick herself for decades and not be finished.

 

An Asgardian woman walked into the room and stopped abruptly at the sight of Darcy sitting on the couch. Darcy looked up and then jumped to her feet. 

 

“Hi,” she blurted. “I’m Darcy Lewis, and I’m looking for Lady Frigga. Do you know where she is?”

 

The woman gave Darcy an assessing look. “You are the norn girl,” she observed, her forehead creased. “The human one.” She said the word  _ human _ a bit more condescendingly than Darcy would have liked.

 

“Yeah, I am,” Darcy said, raising her chin. “And I’d like to speak with Lady Frigga.”

 

“I will let her know you are here,” the Asgardian said, and swept off. Darcy rolled her eyes and plopped back down on the couch. A few minutes later, however, she popped back up when Lady Frigga entered the room.

 

“Darcy Lewis,” the queen greeted. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”

 

“Your Majesty,” Darcy said, trying an awkward curtsy.

 

Lady Frigga frowned. “Who told you?” she asked. “I had hoped we could avoid such formality.”

 

“Thor told me,” Darcy replied, wringing her hands together nervously. “We--um--talked the other day.”

 

“Come, child,” Frigga invited, holding her hands out to Darcy. “I had no desire to intimidate you. That is why I did not tell you who I was. Do you resent me for it?”

 

“What? No!” Darcy exclaimed as Frigga took her hands and gently lowered her back to the couch. Frigga sat next to Darcy, close enough that their knees touched. “I don’t resent you at all! I just...I just can’t believe that you saw me drunk. It’s humiliating.”

 

“Child, I have seen my sons do far worse,” Frigga reassured her. “You did nothing to cause me to lose respect for you.”

 

“Thor mentioned that,” Darcy said with a wry smile. “Care to share any stories?”

 

“Perhaps another time,” Frigga said. “I can see you bear a heavy burden now. How can I help you?”

 

Darcy leaned forward, tightening her grip on Frigga’s hands. “You showed me how to break a psychic connection. Can you show me how to heal someone from psychic trauma?”

 

Frigga tilted her head and gave Darcy a searching look. “Breaking a psychic bond and healing psychic wounds take different abilities, Darcy Lewis,” she told Darcy. “Having the power for one does not mean you have the power for the other.”

 

“Oh,” Darcy said, wilting a little.

 

Frigga released one of Darcy’s hands and reached upwards towards Darcy’s face. “If I have your leave,” she said, pausing with her fingers a few inches from Darcy’s cheek. Darcy nodded and Frigga placed her hand on Darcy’s face, cupping her cheek in her palm.

 

Darcy felt Frigga in her mind like a warm presence, a mother’s comforting touch. Frigga was gentle and kind and reassuring; everything Darcy wished she could be. After a moment Frigga withdrew both her hand and her presence in Darcy’s mind, and Darcy was almost disappointed to feel her leave.

 

“You have great power in you, child,” Frigga told her. “But I do not sense the ability to heal. The norns are not known for their acts of kindness.”

 

Darcy sat back, withdrawing her other hand from Frigga’s grasp. The disappointment was sharp and cut deep. For so long she had had people tell her that she had power that she had become accustomed to it. She was not used to people telling her what she  _ couldn’t _ do.

 

“I see that was not the answer you sought,” Frigga said. “People you care about have been hurt, I think?”

 

“By Loki,” Darcy said boldly, meeting Frigga’s gaze. “He controlled their minds, took away their free will, and it destroyed them. They--they’re never going to be the same again. Their minds...they’re like broken glass, all sharp pieces. It hurt me just reading them. I can’t imagine what it’s like for them…”

 

Frigga looked down, her expression sorrowful. “Loki’s crimes are great,” she said softly. “It seems we will spend many years recovering from them.” She looked up again. “Can you bring these people here, to Asgard?”

 

Darcy’s eyes widened. “What?” she asked flatly. “Bring them here? Uh...I don’t know...I can’t…” She thought about it for a long moment. “No,” she finally said reluctantly. “There’s no way I could get them here without telling them who I am.  _ What _ I am.”

 

Frigga frowned at her. “Why can you not tell them?” she asked.

 

“Because if SHIELD found out what I can do, they would go ballistic,” Darcy told her. “After everything that’s happened, with Loki, and the Chitauri, they’d label me a threat and lock me up. Probably try to study my brain or something. I can’t risk it.”

 

Frigga continued to frown. “You are a norn, Darcy Lewis. There is certainly no human that could stand against you.”

 

Darcy rubbed her forehead. “I think you guys keep forgetting that  _ I _ am human, too. I live on earth. I have to deal with humans and human things if I want to keep living on earth.”

 

“Then do not live on earth.”

 

Darcy went still, her body growing cold at Frigga’s words. She weighed them carefully, repeated them in her head.  _ Do not live on earth _ . She could do it. Heimdall would welcome her on Asgard, certainly, and she had a strong feeling Frigga would, too. She was a norn, after all. Or she could travel to the other realms, and look for the rest of the norns. They had to be out there somewhere; maybe they would teach her how to use her powers.

 

_ Do not live on earth _ .

 

She would have to leave her parents. Her brothers. Jane. Everything she cared about, everything she had ever known. But she wouldn’t have to hide anymore. Wouldn’t have to lie to everyone about who she was,  _ what _ she was. She could, for the first time in her life, truly be herself.

 

_ Jane would die. _

 

Before Darcy even finished considering Frigga’s suggestion, she knew the truth of it. If she left earth, Jane would die. Whether by her dream, or some other way, it would come to pass. Darcy shook her head. Her freedom was not worth Jane’s life, not now, not ever.

 

“I can’t,” was all she said out loud.

 

Frigga nodded slowly. “Then perhaps I can come to your friends.”

 

“You would do that?” Darcy demanded, hope leaping into her voice.

 

“Anything that concerns a norn this greatly should be my highest priority,” Frigga assured her. “Also, Loki is my son. If I cannot heal those he has hurt, who will?”

 

“That would be amazing, thank you!” Darcy burst out. Then she deflated. “How are we gonna pull that off, though? I mean, how are we gonna get you to earth and onto a SHIELD base without them knowing I told you?”

 

Frigga gave her a look. “Child, I am the queen of Asgard. I need no reason to visit earth, especially after what my son has done to your world, and I need no one’s permission to visit this SHIELD of yours. From what Thor has told me, If I come to earth, SHIELD will be quite interested in  _ me _ .”

 

“Yeah they will,” Darcy agreed. “They will lose their minds over you.”

 

“Then it is settled,” Frigga said, clapping her hands together. “I will visit your world in three day’s time, and I will see to your injured friends.”

 

“I really want to hug you right now,” Darcy told her. “Would that be okay?”

 

Frigga smiled and held out her arms. “I would be honored.”

 

Darcy lunged forward and wrapped Frigga into a tight, enthusiastic embrace, burying her face against Frigga’s shoulder. “Thank you so much,” she said softly. She leaned back and met Frigga’s gaze again. “I have no idea how this is going to go, but thank you.”

 

“It truly is my pleasure,” Frigga assured her. She rose to her feet. “Now, is there anything else I can do for you? Will you stay and dine with us?”

 

Darcy checked her watch and grimaced. “I should get back before Jane wakes up and realizes I’m gone.”

 

Frigga’s face softened. “Ah. Yes. Thor has oft spoken about this Jane Foster.”

 

Darcy hopped up. “She’s the best. She’s also my boss and she has no idea about what I am so…” she gestured around them. “Late night trips to Asgard? Needs to stay on the DL.”

 

“Of course,” Frigga said nodding. “Then I will not keep you. I will, however, see you in three day’s time, as promised.”

 

“I will owe you big time,” Darcy said, fishing around in her sash for Heimdall’s compass. “I can’t thank you enough.”

 

“You have already done far more for me than you know,” Frigga told her quietly. Darcy gave her a puzzled look, unsure of her meaning.

 

“Okay,” Darcy said when no further explanation was forthcoming. “I will see you later. Gotta get back to the Bifrost.”

 

Frigga nodded again and Darcy saw herself out. She muttered to herself as she headed back to the Bifrost. When she finally arrived, she strode into the chamber while she undid the sash on her robe.

 

“Who decided it was a good idea to put the Bifrost on the ass-end of this planet?” Darcy demanded, slapping her glasses back on her face and bundling the robe up.

 

“Bor, the father of Odin,” Heimdall replied, knowing a practical answer would only annoy her.   
  


“Har har,” she snarked, falling for his tactics. She handed him first the robe, and then the compass. “Thanks for this, by the way.”

 

Heimdall handed the compass back to her. “Keep it. A memento of your first physical trip to Asgard.”

 

Darcy closed her fingers over the metal disk. “Thanks,” she said again, quieter this time. “I should get back.”

 

Heimdall pointed at the other end of the chamber. “Stand there. When I give you the signal, step into the bridge.”

 

The chamber began to spin and align, and then the energy beam blasted outward, piercing the darkness of the space beyond. At Heimdall’s go-ahead, Darcy took a deep breath and stepped into it. It was partly like falling, partly like flying, hurtling along through space at unbelievable speed. She barely had time to take it all in before she was standing on the balcony of her apartment, trying to catch her breath.

 

She looked around. There were no telltale burn marks on the ground like she had seen in New Mexico, no indication whatsoever that she had been to and returned from Asgard. She looked around. The sun was just coming up over the horizon.

 

Jane opened the sliding door to the balcony, a coffee cup in one hand. She blinked blearily at Darcy. “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

 

“Nothing,” Darcy said defensively. She looked around again. “Getting some fresh air?”

  
Jane grunted and shuffled away, leaving the door open. Darcy moved to follow her. “What do you want for breakfast?”


	7. Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the lack of Loki in this chapter, but there were some things that we needed to get taken care of. Loki will return next chapter! Things are getting good!
> 
> Also, Bea, I'm still mad at you for sending me off down the Star Wars rabbit hole. Just for that I'm not letting you see my new Star Wars fic until I've got at least three chapters down. So there!

The day Frigga was scheduled to arrive on earth, Darcy was too antsy to sit still. She barely slept the night before, not nearly deeply enough to allow her to dreamwalk, and she could hardly eat in anticipation. Jane noticed her distraction at the lab when she had to ask Darcy three times for the data graphs Darcy had finished the day before.

“Are you okay?” Jane asked, frowning her friend. “You seem like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

“I’m fine,” Darcy said, and for once she didn’t have to lie. “I’m great. What did you need again?”

“The charts you made of the Tesseract’s power fluctuations,” Jane said. “I think they correspond with the levels of dark matter it’s been emanating.”

Darcy shook her head and leaned over her computer to send the appropriate files to the printer. “Isn’t dark matter supposed to be theoretical?”

“So were aliens,” Jane replied. “And portals to the other side of the universe, but we’ve got one there,” Jane pointed to the window into the shielded chamber where the Tesseract was kept hooked up to monitoring equipment.

“Whatever,” Darcy said. “Do you want the readouts from the… whatyamacallit...spacial anomaly event from last week?”

“Yeah, might as well,” Jane said, grabbing the documents from the printer and taking them over to the whiteboard. She affixed them with magnets and went back to retrieve the rest of the documents.

The door to the lab opened and Darcy jumped as if she’d been electrocuted, but it was only Agent Sitwell. “Dr Foster,” the agent greeted. “You need to come with me, right away.”

Jane froze, holding Darcy’s readouts in one hand. “What’s happened?” she demanded. “What’s going on?”

“We have a...guest,” Sitwell said delicately. “And she is requesting to speak with you.”

Darcy had to hide a grin behind her hand. Jane looked mystified. “Who is it?” she asked, frowning at Sitwell.

Sitwell hesitated. “She’s an Asgardian,” he finally admitted.

Jane clenched her hand involuntarily, wrinkling the printouts. “Oh my god,” she said, and then dropped the paper onto the floor. “Where is she? Take me there now.”

“This way,” Sitwell replied, gesturing. Jane grabbed her jacket and yanked it on as she hurried after the agent. Darcy kept pace behind Jane, keeping her excitement off her face. Jane half-turned to whisper to her assistant.

“Do you think it’s Sif?” she asked. “That was her name, right? Thor’s friend? Why is she here? Why didn’t Thor come himself?”

The lie came all too easy. “I don’t know,” Darcy whispered back. She really hoped that one day she would be able to tell Jane the truth, and that Jane wouldn’t hate her for it.

Sitwell led them deep into the building, to the most secure part of the SHIELD headquarters, past multiple layers of security, until they finally reached a set of double doors with no indication as to what lay on the other side. Agent Sitwell pushed the intercom button, and the door unlocked with a click. He pushed the doors open and indicated they were to enter.

Darcy followed Jane into an expansive corner office, two entire walls dedicated to floor-to-ceiling windows. The furniture in the room was kept to a minimum: a desk near the windows, a few chairs, and a massive screen hung on the wall opposite the desk. The office was currently occupied by two very different individuals.

The first was a Black man dressed all in black, one eye covered by a patch. He stood just in front of his desk, hands clasped behind his back in parade rest. Darcy eyed him for a moment. She was pretty sure she knew who he was, but just to confirm, she reached out with her senses to read him.

The floor was abruptly yanked out from underneath her and Darcy nearly fell flat on her face. She felt as if she was in freefall. Then she hit the ground. The man’s mind was so orderly, so compartmentalized, that Darcy almost felt as if she was looking at a computer. She saw a vault of filing cabinets, each one locked, each one holding a secret. And in this vault was complete darkness.

Darcy knew that the darkness wasn’t _bad_ , but it wasn’t _good_ , either. It just _was._ And the person who contained the darkness was made neither evil nor righteous because of it. Every instinct told her that this man was not to be trusted under any circumstances, but they also told her he would fight to his last breath to uphold his duty.

She blinked back to herself just in time for Jane to lean back toward her and whisper, “That’s not Sif.” Darcy turned to look at the room’s other occupant, despite already knowing who it was. Lady Frigga stood in the center of the room, facing the door, hands folded in front of her stomach. Darcy was immediately jealous of Frigga’s outfit which was, par for the course, breathtakingly lovely. Her blonde hair was caught up under a golden circlet studded with blue stones and she wore a long, bronze-colored cloak.

“Dr Foster,” the man in black said. “Thank you for coming. My name is Director Fury, and this is Lady Frigga, queen of Asgard.”

Jane’s jaw dropped. “Queen of _Asgard_ ?” she echoed, her eyes wide as saucers. “You wanted to talk to _me_?”

“Of course,” Frigga replied with a friendly smile. “My son has done nothing but speak of you since his return from this realm.”

Jane blinked a couple of times. “Really?” she asked, her voice cracking with sudden hope.

Frigga spread her hands. “He would have come himself, but I am afraid that the Nine Realms have broken out in war since...since the attack on your world, and Thor has been leading our forces in bringing peace once more.”

“Oh,” Jane said, absorbing that knowledge. Darcy reached out towards Jane to see if she could get some insight into her friend’s emotions, but as usual, Jane remained frustratingly blank. “But why did you want to see me?” Jane asked again.

“It has come to my knowledge that Loki damaged the minds of two of your people,” Frigga said quietly. “One of them I believe is a close friend of yours, Erik Selvig?”

“Yes, he did,” Jane said, lifting her chin and bracing herself for whatever came next.

“I have come to offer my services as a healer, and perhaps heal some of the hurt my son has caused,” Frigga continued.

“You can do that?” Jane asked, stepping forward. “You can help Erik?”

“If he will allow me, I can try,” Frigga told her. “I do not have much experience with the technology Loki used, but I am a skilled healer and I will do what I can.”

“That’s...that’s great!” Jane said. “What are we waiting for?”

“Dr Selvig has refused Lady Frigga’s assistance,” Director Fury said, taking a couple strides toward them. “He said he’s had enough people messing around in his head.”

“What about Clint?” Darcy asked, speaking for the first time. Jane, Frigga, and Fury all turned to look at her. Frigga was the only one who didn’t look surprised. “What did Clint say?” Darcy asked again. She examined Fury’s expression and probed at his bank-vault mind. “I wasn’t supposed to know that Loki mind-whammied him, too, was I?”

“That information has been released on a need-to-know basis only,” Fury told her. “You weren’t cleared for that.”

Darcy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “I have eyes, you know. And I’m not stupid. I can identify the same symptoms in Clint that Erik has. He probably refused, too, didn’t he?

“Agent Barton’s decision is his business,” Fury said, giving her a quelling look.

“Maybe, but I’d like to think of him as a friend, and friends don’t let friends not recover from major PTSD,” Darcy replied, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “I’ll take care of Clint. Jane, you go talk to Erik.”

Jane stared at her for a couple of moments in consternation. “Are you sure?” she asked slowly. “You really think you can convince Agent Barton?”

Darcy waved with one hand while she continued texting. “I got this. No worries.” She looked up and met Frigga’s gaze. The Asgardian gave her a knowing look and smiled faintly with an imperceptible nod. Darcy nodded back fractionally and then looked down when her phone chirped. “Okay. I’ll be right back,” she said, and left the office.

Steve met her in the staff lounge on that floor ten minutes later, expression stamped with concern. “911 is code for emergency, right?” he asked her as he arrived.

“Dead on the money,” she confirmed. “I need a favor.”

He crossed his arms. “Okay,” he invited, his features attentive.

“Remember how you asked me if I could help Clint?” Darcy asked, and waited for his affirmation before continuing, “Well, turns out I can’t, but I know someone who can. And she came all the way from Asgard to help, only Clint is saying no.”

“You asked an Asgardian to help Agent Barton?” Steve asked, his eyebrows jumping up his forehead. “Was that a good idea? Loki was an Asgardian, too.”

“Yeah, but this is Thor’s mother, the queen of Asgard,” Darcy said earnestly.

Steve held up a hand. “Wait. You’re telling me you know the _queen_ of _Asgard_ well enough you can call in personal favors?” His face scrunched up in disbelief.

“...Yes?” Darcy replied uncertainly.

Steve stared at her for a couple of beats. “Do you ever look at your life and see how strange it is?” he asked her.

“Every frigging day,” Darcy told him.

Steve shook his head. “Uh-huh. What do you want me to do?”

“You trust me that I’m trying to help Clint, right?” Darcy asked.

Steve frowned but nodded. “Yes. I trust you’re a good person. It’s why I haven’t told anyone about you.”

“Awesome,” Darcy said. “So you trust me, and Clint trusts you, so you need to convince him to let Frigga help him,” she finished.

Steve rubbed the back of his head. “I don’t know if I can do that,” he said uneasily.

“Why not?” Darcy demanded.

“I can’t force Barton to do anything he doesn’t want to do,” Steve said. “And this...I’ve seen soldiers like this before. We called it shellshock. It’s not something we really talked about. No one wanted to admit they had it. It’s real personal, and Barton accepting help...it’s like he’s admitting he’s wounded. He doesn’t want to seem weak.”

Darcy tilted her head at him. “Are you always that perceptive or is this a new thing?” she asked.

He shrugged uncomfortably. “It’s easy to read people when nobody notices you exist,” he replied unhappily, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Darcy stepped forward. “Can you please just talk to him? Frigga can help him, I know she can.” She lowered her voice. “I _know_ how messed up he is. I’ve _felt_ the damage. I can’t just sit by and let him keep hurting.”

Steve studied her for a long moment, sizing her up. She sensed the same emotions from him that she had felt every other time she’d revealed part of herself to him: confusion, awe, disbelief, and finally resignation. “I’ll talk to him,” he said at length. “On one condition.”

“What? Anything, just name it,” Darcy said, spreading her hands.

“You level with me,” Steve told her. “You tell me everything about you and your powers. And I mean _everything_.”

Darcy grimaced, but didn’t hesitate. “Fine. Deal.” She made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go. Go now.”

“Now?” Steve asked, surprised.

“Yes, now,” Darcy said. “Frigga is in Fury’s office right now, waiting.”

Steve looked taken aback. “Oh. Okay. I’ll--uh--I’ll see if Natasha knows where he is.”

Darcy closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. She was much better at this on earth than she was on Asgard, for some reason. “He’s in the range on the first sublevel,” she said, opening her eyes again.

Steve eyed her. “You knew that...how?”

Darcy gestured vaguely at her head. “Psychic powers. Explain later. Go.” She pointed. “And if you need Natasha’s help, she’s in Agent Hill’s office, whoever that is.”

He continued to look at her askance. “...Okay,” he finally said, and turned to leave. He turned back. “We are going to talk about all of this later.” He tried to make it sound like a threat but Darcy wasn’t intimidated. She knew he had too good of a heart to be intimidating to her.

She waved at him with a grin. “Bye,” she called, and turned to head back to Fury’s office.

Director Fury and Frigga were still there, Frigga taking a seat by one of the windows. Jane was gone; probably trying to convince Erik to agree to Frigga’s help. Both Fury and Frigga looked up when Darcy entered the office again.

“Have any luck?” Fury asked, not bothering to hide the sardonic tone of his voice.

“Hopefully,” Darcy said brightly. “I have recruited Captain America to my evil machinations, and he has devastatingly effective puppy-dog eyes. I’m sure he’ll convert Clint in no time.”

“Just how many Avengers are you on first name basis with?” Fury asked her, raising an eyebrow.

“Four?” Darcy guessed, waving vaguely. “Ish? I dunno. It just happened.”

“You connect well with people,” Frigga observed, smiling at Darcy. “A natural-born leader.”

Darcy wrinkled her nose. “Nah. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes kind of girl.” She waved again. “Hi. Darcy Lewis, by the way,” she said for Fury’s benefit.

“Thor has spoken of you, also,” Frigga replied with a nod. “He calls you his lightning-sister.”

Darcy bounced on her toes and grinned smugly. “I know. How cool is that? Lightning-sister.”

Frigga tilted her head. “Tell me, Darcy Lewis, how did you come to be Jane Foster’s protector?”

“Have you _seen_ Jane Foster?” Darcy asked in disbelief, playing along. “The woman has _zero_ self-preservation skills. She just sees _science_ and it’s full speed ahead. Someone had to make sure she didn’t get herself killed.” She bounced on her toes again. “Even if it means tasering hot blonde men who fall out of the sky in a rainbow tornado of doom. Speaking of which, did you come by Bifrost?”

Frigga smiled faintly and nodded. “I did. Your friends at SHIELD were swift to detect my presence and escort me here.”

Darcy gave Fury a flat look. “I’m sure.”

“It should come as no surprise that we monitor the atmosphere for the unique signatures caused by interplanetary travel,” Fury said dryly. “Given the track record of your people during their visits to our planet, you can’t blame us.”

“No, indeed,” Frigga said mildly. She looked back at Darcy and gave her a secret smile.

 _Thank you_ , Darcy mouthed at Frigga and gave her a thumbs-up outside of Fury’s view. The door opened again and all three of them turned to look. Jane physically dragged Erik into the room by his arm, displaying more strength than her tiny body should have held.

“Can you just _talk_ to her?” Jane was saying. “She’s Thor’s _mother_ , Erik. How bad can she be?”

“She’s Loki’s mother, too,” Erik muttered, just loud enough for them all to hear.

Jane grimaced and looked at Frigga, who rose to her feet. “Yes, I am Loki’s mother,” Frigga said gently. “Which is why I desire to do everything I can to help those he has hurt. It would be a breach of my duty, as a mother, and as a queen, to do any less.”

Erik blinked dazedly at Frigga for several moments. “You’re very beautiful,” he blurted.

Frigga smiled. “That is very kind of you to say, Erik Selvig. From what I hear, you are a very brave and intelligent person, if I may return the compliment.”

Erik blushed pink and stared at his feet, muttering under his breath in Swedish. Frigga held out a hand. “Come,” she invited. “Sit with me. Perhaps we can just talk, you and I.”

Darcy took the hint and grabbed Jane’s sleeve. “That’s our cue,” she murmured, and tugged Jane towards the door. She saw Fury leave out of a separate entrance, probably to some sort of super secret passageway.

“Do you think she can do it?” Jane asked excitedly. “Fix Erik?”

“If anyone can, it’s probably her,” Darcy replied.

“Queen of Asgard, Darcy!” Jane exclaimed. “ _Here_ . On earth! And she asked for _me_.”

“I’m pretty sure Thor can’t shut up about you, so mom wanted to come check out this chick he won’t stop gushing about,” Darcy said, half-teasing. “Make sure you’re good enough for her baby boy.”

Jane’s cheeks tinged pink. “I’m sure it’s not that,” she said, her mood abruptly falling. “It’s not like we really had anything. And he’s clearly not coming back, anyway.”

“Whoa, hold up,” Darcy said, grabbing Jane’s arm. “What is all this? Why would you say that?”

“Well, Thor already came back to Earth and he didn’t bother trying to contact us,” Jane pointed out. “And now his _mother_ is here but he isn’t?” She tossed her head, trying to look as if she wasn’t bothered. “I think it’s pretty clear how he feels. And it’s fine. I’m fine. It’s fine.”

Darcy put her hands on Jane’s shoulder and looked her shorter friend in the eye. “Jane, I’m gonna drop some straight truth on you, so listen up. Thor? Is _crazy_ about you. Trust me. I know when a guy gets in too deep and he was _drowning_. Why else would his mother come all the way down to earth just to do something that would make you happy?”

Jane frowned at Darcy, not wanting to feel hope. “Really?” she asked cautiously.

“Girl, the way he looked at you was the _definition_ of heart-eyes,” Darcy assured her. “And Natasha told me that one of the first things he did when he got back here was to make sure you were safe.”

“He did?” Jane perked up, her eyes brightening.

“Why the hell else did we get shipped off to _Norway_ in the middle of the night?” Darcy asked, throwing her hands up. “Jane. Thor is in love with you. Just accept it.”

Jane glanced at the ground. “Then why hasn’t he come _back_?” she asked softly.

Darcy sighed and hunched her shoulders. “You heard what Lady Frigga said. Thor’s out doing hero shit and saving the realms. Kinda sounds like he’s busy.”

Jane chewed on her lower lip for a long moment, and then sighed. “I just wish he’d come back,” she said sadly. “Or send a message, or something.”

“Send him a message,” Darcy suggested. Jane blinked at her. “His mom is here. Give her something to give him. Let him know you’re thinking about him. Tell him you miss him. Something.” Darcy shook her head at Jane. “Really, Jane. I should not be giving you romantic advice. I’ve never even had a boyfriend.”

She started walking down the hall, pulling out her phone to send Steve a text requesting an update. Jane ran to catch up with her. “You’ve _never_ had a boyfriend?” Jane asked in disbelief. “Darcy, you’re an amazing person! How have you never had a boyfriend?”

 _Because I have wacky powers that give me waaaaay too much insight into people,_ Darcy most certainly didn’t say. “My parents are pretty hard-core Jewish,” is what she said out loud. “No dating allowed when I was growing up. And then school kept me too busy to bother.” She straightened her glasses, frowned, and shoved them up onto her head.

“School kept you too busy?” Jane echoed. “That’s not an excuse.”

Darcy gave her a long-suffering look. “Janey, sweetheart, I’m double majoring in Poli Sci and International Studies. Up until this last semester I was taking six classes at a time. I’m in the honor’s society. When I say I had no time, _I had no time_.”

Jane stared at Darcy. “How do I not know any of this about you?”

Darcy patted Jane’s shoulder. “We’ve kinda been busy,” she told the older woman. “And you’ve been focused on your work. Which is totally okay. Your work is important.”

“But we’ve been living together for over a year,” Jane protested. “I had no idea you were double majoring, or that you’re in honor’s society.” She thought for a moment and frowned. “I don’t even know your favorite color!”

“Purple,” Darcy told her. “And my birthday is December 14th. I will be twenty-three years old. I have three older brothers and I grew up in Philadelphia. See? There! All you need to know about me.”

Jane pressed a hand to her cheek. “I can’t believe I never asked you these things. I’m so embarrassed. I’m such a terrible person!”

“Jane, it’s okay,” Darcy insisted. “You know the important stuff.”

“Like what?” Jane demanded.

“Like how I like my coffee, how to interpret my shorthand, favorite food, where I keep my extra cartridges for the taser,” Darcy smiled warmly. “You know, the important stuff.”

Jane frowned. Darcy poked her in the shoulder. “What is it now?” she asked.

“I just realized that you and Erik are, like, my only friends,” Jane said. “And I didn’t even know what your birthday was.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Jane. It’s no big deal. You're pretty much my best friend, too, and I don’t know a whole lot about you, either. It’s not like we just sit around talking about our feelings or our tragic childhoods.”

“I didn’t have a tragic childhood,” Jane said, a hair too quickly.

Darcy raised her eyebrows. “Neither did I,” she said. “I was just saying, we’ve had bigger things to talk about. You know, like not dying and interdimensional portals in outer space.” Jane still looked unhappy, so Darcy went on, “If it’s that important to you, then why don’t we cut out of work early some night and hit up a bar? Grab a few drinks.”

Jane nodded slowly. “Okay. Let’s do that sometime.”

Darcy nodded back, happy the subject was finally closed. “It’s a date.” She looked down at her phone and found a text waiting from Steve. _Barton agreed_ , was all it said. Darcy quickly tapped out a one word reply: _thanks._

She was about to shove her phone in her pocket, satisfied, but it vibrated in her hand. She pressed the power button to read the text. _Brunswick’s. Tomorrow. 0800_ . She sighed silently through her nose and pocketed her phone. This was not going to be the most comfortable of conversations, but she knew she couldn’t avoid it. Well, she probably _could_ , but it wouldn’t be the honorable thing. Darcy may have to lie to everyone she ever cared about, but it didn’t mean she _liked_ it.

XxxXxxX

Brunswick’s was a cafe on the corner of the Mall overlooking the Potomac. It was a favorite among the SHIELD agents, which is probably how Steve discovered it. Darcy had heard it mentioned a couple of times, but had never been. As soon as she entered, she understood the charm.

For one thing, it opened at 3 am. SHIELD agents weren’t known for keeping normal hours, and being able to get caffeine on the way to work in the middle of the night was definitely a point in this place’s favor. The interior design was also very inviting, done in earth tones and soft textiles.

Darcy glanced around and saw Steve sitting in the corner furthest from the door, his back to the wall, at an angle that he could watch the entire coffee shop. Darcy made note of that and crossed over to join him. There were two cups of coffee already on his table, along with a muffin and a slice of coffee cake.

“Hi,” Darcy greeted. She scooted the other chair to the side until it would not obscure his view of the shop and sat down.

“Good morning,” Steve replied pleasantly, and slid one of the cups towards her. “Cream, two sugars, right?”

“Good memory,” Darcy said, and tasted the coffee. “Wow. This is really good.”

“I didn’t know if you’d prefer coffee cake or apple muffin,” Steve went on. “I made sure both were Kosher, though.”

“You this nice to all the girls you take out, or am I special?” Darcy teased, choosing the muffin.

Steve’s ears turned pink and he looked away without replying. Darcy sensed she had hit a nerve and hid her expression behind her coffee cup. There was a moment of awkward silence, until finally Darcy couldn’t take it anymore.

“Okay, look, I’ve never done this before,” she said, setting her cup down. “I’ve never _told_ anyone everything about my...powers. I have lied to literally everyone I have ever met in some way, shape, or form. So this is going to be difficult for me. I just want you to know that.”

Steve leaned back in his chair and gave her an assessing look. “Why are you telling me?” he asked.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, you’re not giving me much of a choice.”

He didn’t look convince. “You didn’t have to agree. From what I’ve observed, you could probably find a way to avoid telling me. So why are you?”

“Because I know I can trust you,” Darcy replied, deciding to practice this whole honesty thing.

Steve frowned. “Because you...read me? Read my mind?”

“I haven’t read you,” Darcy replied, shaking her head. “I can just sense you’re a trustworthy person.” She gave him a look. “You’re also Captain America. If I can’t trust you, who _can_ I trust?”

Steve grimaced. “I’m not...what that person has become. Captain America. It’s been built up to be a legend, and that’s not who I am. I’m just a soldier.”

“I’m not talking about the legend,” Darcy replied quietly. “I’m talking about the person who gave up everything to save their country, who risked his life to rescue his friend, and the person who always wanted to do the right thing.”

Steve stared at her in surprise. Darcy fiddled with her cup. “I’m Jewish,” she replied to his unspoken question. “I had family die during the Holocaust. World War II is kinda personal to me. So I’ve studied it. A lot. I read everything I could get my hands on about you and the Howling Commandos.” She met his gaze evenly. “You played a huge role in the freedom of my people and the founding of the modern nation of Israel, even indirectly.” She leaned back in her own chair. “So yeah. I trust you.” She shrugged. “Ask me anything.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay. Can you tell me what, exactly, is a norn?”

Darcy took a slow, deep breath. “Norns are...beings. Powerful beings. They exist in Norse legends as giants, goddesses. According to a couple Asgardians I’ve talked to, they guard the secrets to the universe, are the enactors of Fate. The only problem is, I don’t know how _I_ fit into the picture. Nobody has given me a clear answer.”

Steve’s brow furrowed. “There are others? Other norns?”

Darcy nodded. “Yeah, from what I can tell. I don’t know where they are, though.”

He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. “What is the full extent of your...abilities? What can you do?”

Darcy blew out a breath. “Wow. Uh, well, like I said before, I can predict the weather. It’s going to be sunny today, high of sixty-three, just fyi. I really do have this weird affinity for cats. They just love me.” She sipped her coffee and stared down at the steaming liquid. “I can find people. I can only do it on earth, not Asgard, and it’s not like I know where everyone is all the time. I have to concentrate. It’s kind of like...listening? It’s hard to explain.” She fidgeted for a moment. He continued to study her, expression attentive but not hostile.

“I can sometimes sense the future,” she continued after a pause to gather her thoughts. “I don’t _see_ it, I just get this feeling about what’s going to happen. Like, during the Battle of Manhattan, I just _knew_ where the Chitauri were going, and where the shots would land. What buildings would fall. I tried to get people to safety, I just...I just wasn’t enough, I guess.”

Darcy frowned and began to dismantle the muffin, reducing it to bite-sized chunks before chewing one thoughtfully. “This isn’t easy for me,” she told Steve. “Like I told you, I’ve never done this before.”

“It must be a relief, though,” he observed. “Telling someone.”

She nodded with a faint smile. “Yeah. I guess. It’s just...new.” She ate a few more bites of the muffin, both to distract herself from her unease and because it was actually pretty good. She wiped her fingers on a napkin and looked back up at Steve. “I can dreamwalk, you already know that. And I can read people. It’s not about reading their thoughts, it’s more about reading them as a whole person. I can pick up on things like what they like, what they don’t like, personality traits, possible future. It’s a big picture kind of deal.”

Darcy shook her head. “And even if I could read people’s minds, I wouldn’t. That’s too much of a violation of privacy. I don’t need to know what people are thinking.” Darcy twisted her napkin in her hands. “And I’ve recently discovered that I get very strong premonitions of the future.” She grimaced. “Or actually just one premonition so far.”

Steve’s eyebrows drew together. “And it’s something bad?” he prompted.

“Yeah,” Darcy replied. She frowned at the destroyed napkin. “I keep dreaming about Jane dying. And Frigga, she offered to let me stay on Asgard, but when she did I knew deep down that if I left earth, Jane would die. I’m just not sure how.”

“That can’t be easy,” Steve said softly. She looked up to meet his gaze.

“It’s not,” she admitted. “Sometimes being a norn really sucks, because I have no clue what I’m doing and the only one who’s offered to help me is the meglomaniac mass-murderer locked in the basement.” She had already decided that if she was going to tell Steve the truth, she was going to tell him the whole truth. It was about time someone knew _everything_.

It didn’t take long for him to make the connection. “Loki?” he demanded. “You’ve been talking to _Loki_?”

“Yeah,” Darcy said slowly. “I was. For a while. But I cut that off a few days ago. Punched him in the face for what he did to Erik and Clint.”

“Why were you talking to Loki?” Steve demanded. “He’s dangerous! And a liar, and very good at manipulating people.”

“I _know_ ,” Darcy said. “Believe me, I know. I thought that I could control the situation. I thought that I could, I don’t know, _use_ him to my own ends, but I realized I was the one being used, so I put a stop to it.” She sat up straight. “There’s something you need to know, though. About Loki.”

He frowned deeply. “What is it?”

“Loki didn’t attack earth willingly,” Darcy told him. “It wasn’t his choice. He was tortured, for months, and then he was forced to come to earth looking for the Tesseract. He couldn’t have refused even if he wanted to. They would have killed him, or worse.”

Steve leaned forward intently. “Who?” he demanded. “Who was controlling him?”

“His name is Thanos,” Darcy replied. “I don’t have a lot of info on him, just that he’s called ‘the mad titan.’ He’s an alien, I think. Powerful. He had a minion, or a sidekick, someone with strong psychic power. That’s how they were controlling Loki. They were inside his head.”

“How do you know all this?” Steve asked.

“I was inside Loki’s head, too,” Darcy explained quietly.

Steve’s head came back in surprise, his expression suddenly concerned. “Why would you do that?” he asked. “You had to know how dangerous that was.”

“I do know, but I didn’t have a choice,” Darcy said quickly. “Thanos’ minion, sidekick, whatever, he left a psychic connection between himself and Loki. I couldn’t take the risk of them trying to control him again, so I broke the connection.”

Steve processed that for several minutes. “Do you think that Thanos is going to make another play for the Tesseract?” he asked. “Should we warn SHIELD?”

Darcy shrugged. “I don’t know. Thor is aware of Thanos, I think. And I’m practically sitting on the Tesseract every day. If Thanos comes for it, he’ll have to go through me.”

Steve gave her an assessing look. “You really mean that, don’t you?” he asked softly.

“Damn straight,” Darcy said firmly. “If I can help people using my powers, I’m gonna do it. I have to believe that’s why I was given them in the first place.” She shrugged again. “I believe in God. I’m not the most orthodox Jew, but I still believe that He, you know, has a plan or something.” She gestured vaguely. “If I don’t believe that, I’ll go crazy.”

Steve smiled at her. “You’re a good person, Darcy.”

She shrugged a third time. “Eh. I try.”

Steve stared at the tabletop for several minutes while he thought about everything she had just told him. She watched his expression but stayed true to her word and did not read him. After a long time, he straightened and reached for his coffee cup.

“Okay,” he said. “Thank you for telling me all this.”

“What are you planning on doing?” Darcy asked, curling her hands around her own cup.

“Nothing,” he replied. “I don’t think you’re a threat. As long as you aren’t a threat, what you do is none of my business.”

Darcy abruptly relaxed muscles she didn’t know she had tensed. “Thank you,” she said. “And you’re right. It is a relief to finally tell someone everything. Speaking of which, tomorrow is Tuesday.”

Steve blinked at her. “Yes,” he replied slowly. “It is.”

“Dinner?” Darcy reminded him. “Red flannel stew? Erik is coming, too.”

“Oh. Right,” Steve said, looking down.

Darcy pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare cancel. Now that I have poured out my soul to you we are officially friends, and you are not allowed to cancel.”

** He looked back up again. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said finally. **


	8. Truth Be Told I Never Was Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I work night shift and it can get really quiet. I have discovered that I have plenty of time to write at work, and I'm knocking out a chapter every two nights. Which is great but now I'm afraid yall are going to start expecting it...

_ Loki stood on a terrace on Asgard overlooking the city. He looked young, his face unlined with pain and his eyes clear of madness. His dark hair barely brushed his jaw and his limbs still had the awkward bearing of youth. He stood with his feet planted defiantly, facing off with a figure whose features were obscured by a cloak made of silver shadows. _

 

_ “No,” he said firmly. “I will not be a tool against my brother, against my friends. Whatever your schemes are, I will not be a part of them.” _

 

_ The cloaked figure stepped forward, raising a hand. There was a flash of light and Loki collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The shadowy figure lowered their hand. _

 

_ “You will serve the purpose I have for you,” the figure told Loki’s senseless body. “By your will or not.” The figure reached up and lowered their hood. _

 

_ Darcy stared at her own face in horror. _

 

Darcy gasped awake and found herself on the very same terrace from her dream. She flailed in shock and fell off the couch she had been laying on, hitting the floor hard enough to drive the breath out of her lungs. She lurched to her feet and spun around. There was no Loki, and no shadowy figure wearing her face.

 

It was a dream.

 

But it didn’t feel like a dream. It felt like a memory. She  _ remembered _ Loki standing just  _ there _ , and she  _ remembered _ striking him down. It was seared into her brain. How could she ever have forgotten it? Darcy pressed her hand to her chest, feeling her heart race under her palm. When did this happen? Loki had looked young, barely into adulthood. More importantly,  _ why _ would she have done that?

 

Darcy stepped towards the railing and looked around again. The images were still so clear in her mind she could picture the texture of Loki’s tunic, the way the shadows flickered over her doppelganger’s cloak. Panic threatened to rise in her chest again when she heard voices coming from inside the palace.

 

“I will not have it!” said a raised male voice. “I have forbidden it!”

 

“And since when have we been able to forbid the norns anything?” That was Frigga’s voice.

 

“So I am to stand by and be defied in my own home?” the male demanded.

 

“Can you not see the good she has already done for him?”

 

“He is a traitor and a criminal! Why should I care for his well-being?”

 

“Because he is your  _ son _ , whatever his crimes.”

 

Darcy realized who they were talking about and edged closer to the open door, trying to hear the argument better.

 

“He is no son of mine! He made his feelings on the matter very clear.”

 

“It was not  _ his _ decision to be stolen from his world and brought here,” Frigga shot back, her voice colored with emotion. It was the first time Darcy had heard anything but calm serenity from the queen.

 

“And it was a decision I have now lived to regret!”

 

Darcy pressed a hand over her mouth when she realized the male speaker must be Odin, king of Asgard, and Thor and Loki’s father.

 

“Do you also regret lying to him about his true nature?” Frigga demanded. “And filling his head with tales of how monstrous the Jotuns are? All he ever desired was your approval, but you were never able to give him the same you gave Thor!”

 

“So you blame me for his betrayal? Do you forget he brought Jotuns here, into Asgard? Do you forget the lives he cost on Midgard?”

 

“I am not denying these things. But you are a fool if you see a threat in a norn taking interest in Loki’s welfare. Is your heart so hardened you would begrudge him any hope of redemption?”

 

“You do not know this norn’s motives! You are far too trusting. This norn may only seek to use Loki for her own purposes.”

 

“And now that you have sworn away all claims to Loki, why would you care?” Frigga shot back. “You may deny any fault but Loki is only a product of his upbringing! How can you claim to be the Allfather and deny Loki a chance to repay his crimes?”

 

“So not only am I to be defied by the norns, I am now being defied by my own wife?”

 

“You never had authority over the norns, my lord husband. She does not defy you because she is not ruled by you. And if, in your arrogance, you have forgotten that, then there is nothing more I can say to you. Forbid the norn at your own risk. I will not defend you should you suffer the consequences.”

 

She heard footsteps and Darcy jumped away from the door and fled the terrace into the corridor. She looked around but had no idea where she was. Rather than trying to use her power to locate Heimdall (since she knew it would be useless), Darcy pulled the compass out from where it hung on a chain under her shirt.

 

Darcy stared at the golden disk for a few seconds, wondering if it would work. The compass itself was on Earth, around her neck as she slept in her bed. Like her clothing, its presence was just a facsimile, projected here on instinct.

 

Right?

 

She turned the compass over in her hand a couple of times, and then brought it to her mouth. “The Bifrost,” she said quietly.

 

The compass immediately activated, projecting its golden image with glowing reassurance. Darcy stared at it, her mind racing at the implication. Did this mean that she brought things physically with her when she dreamwalked? If so, what happened to her things back on Earth? What exactly were the physics behind dreamwalking? Did dreamwalking even follow the laws of physics?

 

Darcy gathered up her questions and pushed them to the back of her mind, where she kept all her questions about the impossibilities of her life, and followed the compass out of the city and down the crystal bridge.

 

Heimdall stood on watch when she arrived, his back to the entrance of the chamber. He turned as she entered, greeting her with a smile. “Darcy Lewis. Welcome back.”

 

“I need to ask you something,” Darcy said, too concerned for pleasantries.

 

Heimdall’s smile faded. “Ask,” he invited gravely.

 

“Have I been here before?” Darcy clutched the compass hard enough that the edges cut into her palm.

 

Heimdall frowned. “You have been here many times before,” he told her. “What is your meaning?”

 

Darcy shook her head, frustrated at her inability to correctly express her meaning. “No. Have I been here  _ before _ . Before my first time. Before I was thirteen.  _ Before _ .” She looked up at him.

 

His head came up and back, and he made a deep, thoughtful noise. “Yes,” he said at length.

 

“You said once that I lived, I died, and I lived again,” Darcy said quietly, never taking her eyes off his face. “Am I… Have I been reincarnated?”

 

Heimdall nodded, the light glinting off his helmet. “Yes,” he replied again. “It has taken many lifetimes for the norn in you to gather enough strength to manifest fully. And in every lifetime, you have come to visit me.”

 

Darcy’s legs abruptly felt weak and she lowered herself to the ground, staring straight ahead in shock. “So, if I remembered something, from hundreds of years ago, it could actually have been me?”

 

“It is possible,” Heimdall told her.

 

“I need to sit down,” Darcy said weakly. She looked down. “Oh. I am sitting down.” Heimdall gazed down at her solemnly. “How long?” she asked. “How long have I been coming here?”

 

“Over a thousand and a half years,” Heimdall said.

 

Darcy rubbed her face with her free hand. “Sigyn. Is that who I was, in the beginning? The first me?”

 

Heimdall sighed deeply and lowered himself down to the ground to sit facing her, far more graceful than his armor should have allowed. “Sigyn was a norn quite well known to me. She oft visited Asgard and the Allfather relied heavily on her counsel.”

 

“What happened to her?” Darcy asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

 

“She travelled to Midgard, after the Jotuns attacked your realm, to help your people rebuild. I do not know the exact circumstances, but she died there.”

 

Darcy abruptly felt a sharp pain like a sword through her heart, a flash of memory gone as swift as a bolt of lightning. “Her power went to a human vessel,” she whispered. “And when that vessel died it went to a new one, and then another… until me.” She stared straight ahead. Her brain did not feel big enough to hold this new revelation.

 

“My name is Sigyn,” she said, trying the name out. It resonated in a way it hadn’t before. It felt  _ right. _ It felt like it was  _ hers. _ She shook her head and cradled it in her hands. “Ugh. Too much.”

 

“Are you unwell?” Heimdall asked in concern.

 

Darcy lifted her head again. “I just overheard Frigga and Odin arguing about me helping break the psychic connection Thanos had on Loki, and I think she might blame him a little bit for how Loki turned out.”

 

Heimdall reared his head back in surprise. “You have been speaking with Loki?” he demanded.

 

“Yes, and it’s my decision, not yours,” Darcy said hotly. “So I don’t want to hear it. Besides, if I didn’t do anything about the connection, there’s no telling what Thanos would have made Loki do in the future. It was the safest decision.”

 

“It would not have been wise to let Thanos have power over Loki,” Heimdall agreed. “But I wish you had told me this.”

 

“Yes, mistakes were made,” Darcy said irately, waving a hand dismissively. “But this means Odin  _ knew _ Loki was being forced by Thanos and the Other! That  _ bastard _ !”

 

Heimdall’s eyebrows jumped upwards. “This is the Allfather you speak of,” he reminded her.

 

“I don’t care who he is,” Darcy snapped, climbing to her feet. “I’m not saying Loki’s innocent, not by a long shot, but he doesn’t deserve to be punished for Thanos’ crimes.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I gotta go see someone.”

 

“I would not advise confronting the Allfather in anger, Darcy Lewis,” Heimdall warned, rising to his feet as well.

 

“I’m not going to confront him,” Darcy assured him. “I’m gonna talk to Frigga first. I’m not an idiot. But I’ve actually got to talk to Loki right now.”

 

“Loki?” Heimdall echoed, frowning. “For what purpose?”

 

Darcy was already heading for the door. “I think I owe him an apology,” she called over her shoulder. Darcy instructed the compass to take her to Loki’s cell, though she did try to stay out of sight, as she was wearing the oversized SHIELD sweatshirt and yoga pants she’d dozed off in.

 

Loki stood in the middle of his cell when she arrived, arms loose at his side and eyes staring straight ahead, unseeing. Power flowed off him in waves, green-gold to Darcy’s senses and scented like air just before a snowfall.

 

Darcy stood outside his cell, watching him for several minutes. She could have easily reached out to see what it was he was doing, what illusion he cast for himself, but she kept her powers to herself. After seeing what had been done to Erik and Clint, she was reluctant to violate anyone else’s privacy, even Loki’s.

 

When Loki remained inside his illusion for longer than she was willing to wait, Darcy stepped through the barrier and approached him cautiously. Touching him could be dangerous; she had no way of knowing how he would react if his illusion was intruded upon. Circling him for a moment, she caught sight of something on his desk and drifted closer.

 

There was a large ring of pale ivory on his desk, large enough to wear as a bracelet. It had been intricately carved into the shape of a serpent biting its own tail, each scale picked out in incredible detail. Certain scales were gilded in rose-colored gold, forming a complicated pattern over the serpent’s body. Other scales were carved in tiny runes. Green jewels were set in the serpent’s eyes, sparkling in the diffused light of the cell.

 

It was such a thing of breathtaking beauty that Darcy couldn’t help but stare at it. She picked it up delicately and turned it over in her hands, wondering at the skill required to create it. It seemed a strange thing for Loki to spend so much effort on.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

The sharp question made her jump. Darcy dropped the bracelet back onto the desk and whirled around, heart racing. Loki stood in the same place, jade eyes focused intently on her, hands clenched into fists at his side.

 

“I needed to talk to you,” Darcy stammered.

 

He raised his chin. “You made it very clear on  your last visit that you had no intention to do so again. Why should I agree to speak to you now?”

 

Darcy glowered at him and crossed her arms. “Don’t even pretend that you didn’t deserve to be socked in the face at least once, crazy-train.”

 

He took a step backwards, fists uncurling. “Then to what do I owe the pleasure of you changing your mind?” he asked sardonically. 

 

Darcy lifted her own chin. “Have we ever met before?” she asked before she lost the nerve.

 

He abruptly gave her a sharp look. “Before you first came to this cell?” he asked, all pretense of recalcitrance evaporating. Darcy nodded wordlessly. He frowned in thought and paced a few steps, never taking his gaze from her face.

 

“That is an unusual question,” he observed. “Are you asking me because you believe we have and you have forgotten?”

 

“Yes,” Darcy said tersely.

 

“Surely a meeting with me would have been more memorable than that,” Loki said, but without his customary smirk. He tilted his head. “I have never met you before the day you first came to my cell.”

 

Darcy’s brow furrowed. “What about someone named Sigyn?” she asked, hesitating a moment over giving Loki her true name.

 

Loki’s head came up, his eyebrows raising. “How do you know that name?” he demanded. Darcy stared flatly back at him and realization dawned on his face. “You. You are Sigyn. But how? Sigyn was slain on Midgard, and she was not Human.”

 

“The norn can’t be killed,” Darcy told him quietly. “If the vessel is destroyed, it will find another.”

 

He stepped forward, still studying her face. He lifted a hand, reaching toward her until her remembered himself and dropped his hand again. “And it took over a thousand years for the power to become strong enough to emerge once more,” he said. His expression was one of fascination, curiosity, completely without guile. He almost seemed excited.

 

“Of course!” he exclaimed, gesturing. “That would explain how a norn came to be Human. So when you ask if we have met before, you mean during your previous lives, do you not?”

 

Darcy made a face. “Something like that. I had a… memory, or something. I thought maybe we had met before.”

 

“Fascinating,” Loki murmured, rubbing his chin. “I did meet Sigyn, several times, when she came to Asgard. I was no more than a child, but I remember it well. Perhaps this is what you mean?”

 

“Maybe,” Darcy said with an uncomfortable shrug. She didn’t want to tell Loki the truth of her memory. She didn’t want to  _ admit _ the truth of her memory. The thought of forcing her will on someone else, of using them for her purpose contrary to their choice, disgusted her. “What was she like?” she asked, hoping to change the topic.

 

Loki gestured again, impatiently this time. “Like every other norn. Aloof, self-important, and arrogant.”

 

“I’m not like that,” Darcy protested, scowling at him.

 

He gave her a look. “ _ You _ are not her. You have her power, and possibly her memories buried deep in your subconscious, but  _ you _ are a separate being. Only you can decide who and what you are.”

 

Darcy stared at him in surprise. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me,” she told him.

 

He waved dismissively. “It was hardly a compliment. The truth is neither kind nor cruel. It simply is.”

 

Darcy nodded. “Okay. If that’s what you think, then there’s something you need to know.” When she was sure she had his attention, she took a deep breath and said, “Odin knows you were manipulated by Thanos into attacking Earth and going after the Tesseract.”

 

Darcy did not know it was possible for Loki to get any more pale. Even his lips lost their color, and the skin around his eyes turned practically translucent. He held himself perfectly still, so still he appeared to be a statue, carved from white marble, only his glittering green eyes showing any sign of life.

 

Darcy tried to step backwards and bumped into his desk. The fury boiling inside him was palpable, and it terrified her. She had seen the destruction he could cause before; she was not looking forward to witnessing it again.

 

He remained that way for several moments before he abruptly relaxed, his color returning. He blinked and darted his gaze over to Darcy. “Thank you for telling me,” he said stiffly. “It seems I am yet again in your debt.”

 

“No problem,” Darcy replied, not convinced his anger was under control. “I think I am just gonna leave now.”

 

He nodded jerkily. “That would be wise.”

 

Darcy edged around him, never taking her eyes off him When she reached the forcefield, she paused for a moment to concentrate before stepping through the gap.

 

“Darcy,” Loki called, his back to her. She froze and turned back towards him. “One day you will have to allow me to repay you. I do not enjoy being in the debt of others.”

 

“Yeah, sure,” she said quickly, and hurried off. As she rounded the corner, she heard a loud crash come from the direction of Loki’s cell.

 

XxxXxxX

 

Dinner with Steve and Erik was a success, though Darcy sensed Steve’s social energy waning towards the end of the night so she sent him home down the hall with the ample leftover food (Darcy could cook for an army when she was of the mind). Jane and Erik ended up talking science and drinking wine way past bedtime, and Darcy decided it was not a good idea for Erik to try to make it back to the Triskelion on his own. She installed him safely on the couch, chivvied Jane to bed, and was finally alone with her thoughts.

 

Dreamwalking was not an attractive idea at the moment, not with the sick feeling caused by her memory still heavy in her stomach. She downed a 5-hour energy instead of sleeping and tried to work on her term paper that was due in a few days. When that couldn’t hold her attention, she pulled up Jane’s notes on the Tesseract.

 

She wasn’t sure how SHIELD managed to talk Thor into letting them keep the Tesseract, after all the trouble it had caused, but apparently Thor had decided to leave it in the care of the Humans. SHIELD was being more careful with their second round of testing. She had run across a memo early on that said Steve had some say in the testing, too. She assumed he was there for oversight, to make sure the Cube wasn’t used for nefarious purposes. She had meant what she said to Steve, though. If someone wanted to misuse the Cube, they would have to go through her.

 

Darcy arranged Jane’s notes into the filing system they’d rigged up between them. She understood more of the notes than most people would have guessed, but the repetitiveness of them allowed her mind to drift while she worked.

 

Loki said he’d never met her before, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t met a  _ different _ her. By her count she would have reincarnated at least eighteen times, maybe more. And Heimdall had told her that every version had been able to dreamwalk. She could have easily come into contact with Loki during another lifetime.

 

The question of  _ why _ still haunted her. What purpose would she have for controlling Loki? The thought that any version of her would find it necessary to appropriate the will of another being horrified her. And really, hadn’t Loki been manipulated enough already?

 

Darcy lost patience even with the comforting mindlessness of her current task and left her computer. She quickly changed into jogging gear. She’d taken up the activity a few weeks ago (at Loki’s suggestion) and found it to be extremely dull and unexciting, but she couldn’t deny the boost in energy and increased quality of her sleep (when she did manage to grab a few hours).

 

Jogging at three o’clock in the morning in Washington, DC was probably not the best idea, but Darcy had her taser and her norn senses, and she was fairly certain she’d be able to avoid danger. The Metro wasn’t open this early, so Darcy walked the few blocks to the National Mall and started off at a slow pace. She’d opted against music, wanting to keep her senses focused and alert.

 

She hoped the rhythm and exertion would clear her mind, but it only sent her down another spiral of memories. Why was she remembering things now? Was she getting stronger? Who was Sigyn really? What kind of person had she been? More importantly, how did she die? Both Loki and Heimdall had said that the norns were eternal. If that were true, what had been strong enough to kill a norn?

 

Darcy shook her head to clear it and once more gathered the questions up, shoving them to the dark corner of her brain where all the scary stuff she knew about the universe lived. Those questions would drive her crazy. She had no way of finding out the answers right now, so she wasn’t going to worry about them. It was the only way she could stay sane.

 

She took deep breaths and with each one she felt her mind grow clearer. She focused on the beat of her feet against the ground, the rapid beat of her heart, the sound of air entering and exiting her lungs. She let herself fall into a trance-like state, finally free from her worries (at least for the time being).

 

A she fell deeper into the trance, her senses opened to the world around her. She could feel the trees next to her, drawing strength from the dirt below. She felt the formation of clouds overhead, and the turn of the Earth beneath her feet.

 

_ “You know what I have come for, norn.” _

 

The voice was accompanied by an image, bright and intense, like a flash grenade going off in her brain. 

 

_ She stood at the edge of a clearing, the village behind her. Thanos stood before her, towering over her slender frame. He reached out a heavy hand towards her, clenching his fingers into a fist. _

 

_ “And you know I will never give it over,” she replied, drawing herself up to her full, unimpressive height. _

 

_ “I do not fear your power,” Thanos sneered, his purple skin darkening in anger. _

 

_ “A fool does not have to fear the object of his destruction for it to dominate him,” she told him. “Your pride will be your downfall and you will not forsee it.” _

 

_ “I have come too far to let the feeble superstition of the weak-minded stop me,” Thanos growled. He stepped forward, taking a device from his belt. A blade of shimmering, silver light extended from the device. She didn’t back down, didn’t show fear. It was imperative she hold Thanos here for as long as possible, to give her sisters time...  _

 

_ “The beliefs of our people make us stronger, not weaker,” she said. “But you have no knowledge of faith. It is beyond your small mind.” _

 

_ “Enough,” Thanos snarled, brandishing the sword and stepping closer. “I will not be distracted by your prattle. Either stand aside, or be cut down.” _

 

_ She spread her hands at her sides. “Do what you feel you must,” she said softly. “I will not surrender the Stone to you.” _

 

_ Thanos closed the last distance between them and thrust his sword into her chest. It slid through her heart so smoothly it took a moment for her to feel the pain. _

 

Darcy stumbled and collapsed to her hands and knees. She could still feel the blade impaling her ribcage, her lungs convulsing and her heart stuttering to a stop. She gasped for breath and coughed, feeling warm liquid spray from her lips. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think past the pain, couldn’t hear past the crashing of blood in her ears.

 

Strong hands grasped her shoulders but she didn’t have the presence of mind to pull away. The hands helped her sit back up on her heels and she leaned against a broad chest. She distantly heard her name being called. She coughed again, fluid bubbling up her throat and making her choke.

 

“Darcy,” said a familiar male voice in her ear. “Darcy, are you alright?”

 

Darcy blinked and focused on the face of the man supporting her. “Steve?” she asked thickly. “What--what are you doing here?”

 

“I saw you leave,” he told her. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

 

“You  _ followed _ me?” she asked stupidly, her brain refusing to catch up.

 

“No?” he said uncertainly. He looked down at her mouth. “Shit. You’re bleeding.”

 

Darcy’s hand flew up to her lips, feeling the fluid there. Come to think of it, her mouth was full of a metallic, coppery taste. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. “I’m okay,” she said roughly.

 

“You were coughing up blood,” Steve told her with a frown. “You’re not okay.”

 

“Not hurt,” Darcy clarified. “This… this was a norn thing.” She leaned away from Steve and spat to clear her mouth. The pain was starting to fade in her chest and her brain was beginning to work again. “Why the hell were you  _ following _ me?”

 

Steve looked uncomfortable. “You left in the middle of the night,” he told her. “It’s not safe out. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

 

She scowled at him and used his shoulder to lever herself to her feet. “I can take care of myself,” she said irritably.

 

“Clearly, because I found you on the ground, coughing up blood,” Steve snapped, getting to his feet as well. “You should see a medic.”

 

“I’m  _ fine _ ,” Darcy insisted. “I just… I had a flash. A vision. Sort of.” She squeezed her forehead and took a slow, deep breath. Her lungs were clear, unobstructed and free of liquid.

 

“Vision of what?” Steve asked, his frown deepening.

 

“I’m not sure,” Darcy said after a moment. “I don’t know if it’s the future or the past.” She shuddered. “I saw myself die,” she admitted. She probed at her chest, fingers tracing the place where the blade had entered. “I  _ felt _ it.”

 

Steve reached over and touched her arm before quickly withdrawing his hand. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked softly. “Do you want me to walk you back to your apartment?”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said, nodding. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”

 

They turned and headed back towards their apartment building in silence, Darcy staring at the ground and turning her vision over and over in her head. She no sense of whether this vision was from the past or future, no indication if this was a death she had already experienced, or if this was something she had to look forward to.

 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Steve asked after several silent moments.

 

“I got stabbed through the chest with a frickin’ sword,” Darcy said irritably, and then softened. “Sorry. It just felt really… real. And it hurt. A lot.”

 

“Who--uh--who killed you?” Steve stumbled over the question before he managed to get it out.

 

“Thanos,” Darcy replied tersely. “He really is an alien, by the way. Frickin’ huge alien with purple skin. And some kind of futuristic energy sword.”

 

“Do you know why?” Steve pressed.

 

“He was after a Stone,” Darcy knew the word came with a capital letter, but she didn’t know why.

 

“An Infinity Stone?” Steve asked.

 

Darcy froze in midstep, one foot still in the air. She slowly turned her head to stare at him. “What did you just say?” she asked in a flat voice.

 

“Thor said the Tesseract was an Infinity Stone,” Steve told her, eying her warily. “If Thanos was after it, he might be after others, too.”

 

Darcy lowered her foot to the ground. “Yes. I think that’s exactly what he was after.”

 

“In your vision, does he get it?” Steve’s voice was low, concerned.

 

She shook her head. “I had this feeling, like I needed to stall him, give my sisters time. I think… I think they were getting the Stone out of his reach. But I died before I could make sure.”

 

“Your sisters?” he asked.

 

“Other norns,” she clarified. “There’s more of us, somewhere. I have no idea where. I wish I did, though. I have so many questions.”

 

Steve nodded, his expression clouded. “This can’t be easy for you.”

 

“Fuck no, it’s not,” Darcy said, slightly amused at his reaction to her language. “Give me the chance to give it up and I’d take it in a heartbeat.” She sighed. “I’m just so fucking tired.”

 

“Is there anything I can do?” Steve asked, deciding to ignore her unlady-like choice of words.

 

She gave him a weak smile. “You’ve already done more than anyone else has ever done for me.” She reached over and squeezed his arm. “You’re a good friend, Steve.”

 

His smile in return was wan and he shoved his hands in his pockets. Darcy forced herself to remember that he had been out of the ice for less than three months, and he was still adapting to life in a new decade, with new people. She peered up at him.

 

“We  _ are _ friends, right?”

 

“Yeah,” he assured her after a moment. “Of course.” His smile this time was stronger. “I’m not one to say no to new friends.”

 

Darcy nodded and squeezed his arm again before letting go. She was suddenly, inexplicably weary, and all she wanted to do was sleep. Unfortunately, she would probably just end up dreamwalking again, and there was no telling where she would turn up.

 

Steve walked her right up to her apartment door watched while she unlocked it. Before she could step in, though, he stopped her with a light touch to her arm. “You’ll tell me if anything happens?” he asked. “If you see anything else?”

 

“Or if I start hacking up blood again?” Darcy asked. “Yeah. I’ll let you know. Thanks, Steve.”

 

“Good night,” he he told her, and retreated to his own apartment.

 

Darcy dragged herself to her bed and collapsed without bothering to get under the covers. When she opened her eyes a few minutes later and found herself in Loki’s cell, she almost started crying. She lowered herself to the ground and buried her head in her hands with a whimper.

 

She heard rustling from off to the side, and then footsteps. “Darcy?” Loki asked. “Are you injured?”

 

Darcy gave a short, high pitched whine. “No. Why’d you ask?”

 

“You have blood on your clothes.”

 

She lifted her head despite it feeling as if it weighed twenty pounds. “And you care?” she snarked.

 

He narrowed his eyes. “Why does this continuously surprise you?”

 

“Because you’re not exactly the cuddly type,” Darcy snapped.

 

“I am in your debt,” he informed her stiffly. “And until I have repaid this debt, it is in my best interest to be courteous.”

 

Darcy shook her head, too tired to argue anymore. “Whatever,” she muttered, and dropped her head back into her hands. She heard footsteps again, and a shadow fell over her. She looked up in alarm to see Loki crouching in front of her, holding the silver flask in his hand. He offered it to her wordlessly.

 

She stared at it, considering it for a long moment. She did not like taking favors from Loki. He was not trustworthy, and despite his words she knew that any kindness he paid her had ulterior motives. On the other hand, the stuff in the flask really worked and Darcy  _ really _ needed to get some sleep. Against her better judgement, she took the flask from her and poured out a drop of the syrup onto her tongue.

 

She handed the flask back and Loki took hold of her elbow, helping her to her feet. She pulled free from his grip as soon as she was standing. She looked around, intending to curl up in one of his chairs, but found that the only pieces of furniture left in his cell were his bed and his desk. She sighed heavily but still trudged over to his bed and laid down, pulling his fur blanket up to her chin. She almost didn’t hear Loki’s soft words as she drifted off.

  
“Sleep well, Lady Darcy. Do not fear your dreams."


	9. Better To Burn Than To Fade Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got to spend my days off with severe stomach- and headaches. Awesome. So not a lot of writing done. I am back at work and feeling much better. So far our New Years has been interesting but I've managed to finish this chapter. Enjoy and happy New Years!

“Thanks for doing this with me,” Steve said as he walked beside Darcy between the booths, hands shoved in his pockets.

Darcy beamed at him. “Are you kidding? A day off from the lab _and_ I get to give Captain America cooking lessons? I should be thanking you!”

Steve glanced aside at a table of produce as they made their way through the farmer’s market. “The food really is different than what I’m used to,” he admitted.

“Yeah, I’m sure. The way we love to pump everything full of chemicals and preservatives.” Darcy grimaced. “Hey, I’m not into paleo or anything, but it can get a little much.” She waved a hand around. “Hence this place.”

Steve craned his neck to get a look around. “It’s pretty neat,” he told her. “I can see the attraction.”

Darcy pointed. “There’s a guy who does Kosher meats around the corner, and three down from him is my bakery hook-up. Not Kosher per se but still within the laws. Produce is easier, don’t have to worry about contamination. Remind me to stop for kettle corn, though. Jane craves the stuff when she’s working late.”

“I thought you weren’t letting her do that anymore,” Steve commented, pausing for a moment to examine a table advertising forty-three different kinds of honey. Darcy kept walking, thinking he would join her, but when he lingered she stopped and returned to his side.

“Eh, I pick my battles,” Darcy replied. “At least she’s eating three meals a day and exercising.”

Steve picked up a glass jar of almond honey and read the label with interest. “Almonds are pollinated only through bees?” he said out loud.

“Yeah, which sucks, because, you know, bees disappearing,” Darcy said with a shrug. “From what I’ve heard, if bees go extinct, a lot of agriculture will fail.”

Steve stared at her, still holding the jar. “Bees are disappearing?” he asked, his brow furrowing.

Darcy’s mouth turned downward. It was so easy to forget sometimes that he wasn’t just normal, slightly-quirky Steve. “Yeah. Been happening for years now. They call it colony collapse and they don’t know why it’s happening.”

Steve looked back down at the jar. “My ma always had a jar of honey on hand, no matter how expensive,” he mused after a moment of silence. “It helped when the coughing got too bad.”

Darcy pressed her lips and didn’t say anything. Steve ended up buying three jars of honey after the owner of the booth offered him a dozen or so samples. Darcy stowed them in her shopping tote and they moved on, Steve in a contemplative mood.

When they reached the Kosher meat stall, the salesperson was shocked at the amount of meat they purchased. Most of it was for Steve, anyway, who had to eat more due to his super-soldier metabolism. He didn’t need to purchase Kosher meat, specifically, but Darcy was going to be handling the meat, at least partially, and _she_ needed it to be Kosher.

“Stocking up for a couple of months, eh, Darcy?” Tom, the salesman, asked as he put the last of their wrapped purchases in one of Darcy’s reusable shopping totes.

“Yeah, we’ll freeze most of it,” Darcy said breezily, as Steve paid the man in cash. He’d confided in Darcy that he was horrified at the cost of food these days, but he did a good job keeping his mouth shut.

“Who’s your friend?” Tom asked, smiling at Steve as he accepted the money.

Darcy waved between the two men. “Steve, Tom. Tom, Steve. He’s my new neighbor.”

“Welcome to the neighborhood, Steve,” Tom said, still smiling at the captain.

“Thanks,” Steve replied, returning the smile easily enough.

“Where’d you move from?” Tom asked, clearly intending to extend the conversation. Darcy didn’t know whether to be amused or concerned.

“Brooklyn,” Steve told him without missing a beat. “Grew up there.”

Tom bobbed his head. “Nice. I’ve got family there.”

Steve’s attention abruptly focused, his expression sobering. “Are they okay?” he asked intently. “Did they make it out okay?”

Tom gave him a grateful smile. “Yeah, they’re fine. Weren’t anywhere near the Incident. Little shaken up, but that’s all.”

“Good to hear it,” Steve said sincerely. His eyes slanted away and Darcy picked up on the signal that he was ready to move on. She interjected herself smoothly.

“Well, we got to make it over to Katie’s. Thanks again! See you next week?”

“Absolutely!” Tom said enthusiastically. “Hey, you need anything, you come find me okay?”

Even though he’d been talking to Steve, Darcy grinned and waved at him. “Will do!” She grabbed Steve’s sleeve and tugged him along behind her as she made a subtle retreat. “You okay?” she asked in an undertone. “You got a little distant there at the end.”

Steve gave her a sharp look. “Did you read me?” he demanded.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “I already told you, I’m not gonna do that to you. I’m just a little sensitive to people detaching. You know, after the whole thing with Clint and Erik?”

“Oh,” he said, relaxing. “Yeah. I’m fine.” He glanced back at Tom’s booth. “I guess I just didn’t expect that many questions.”

“He was flirting with you,” Darcy told him bluntly.

Steve stopped in his tracks. “He was...what?” he asked, color rising on his cheekbones.

“Well, he was trying to,” Darcy said. “Tom’s a nice guy, he’s just a little awkward. But yeah. Totally flirting.”

Steve looked like he was trying to find something to say about that. Darcy waited to see what he would come up with. She didn’t know how much SHIELD had told him during their 21st century crash course because they never really talked about it. In fact, they never really talked about Steve at all. Darcy thought it was about high time that changed.

“Sorry,” Steve said finally, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Still getting used to everything, I guess.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not comfortable getting hit on by a gender you’re not attracted to in any century,” Darcy assured him, and then froze as soon as the words came out of her mouth. “Unless you are attracted to that gender. In which case it’s totally okay. And none of my business.”

Steve gave her another sharp look and she held up her hands. “No judgement. And I don’t have a leg to stand on. Definitely got into the experimentation phase of college.”

Steve frowned at her, unclear as to her meaning. “Nothing serious,” Darcy explained. “My powers kind of put a damper on long-term relationships. But yeah, I’ve been known to go out with girls a couple of times.”

Steve colored again. “Uh, is this really something we should be discussing in public?” he hissed at her.

She laughed. “Yeah, well, we’re not nearly as repressed as we were seventy years ago,” she told him. “It’s totally normal to talk about it pretty much anywhere. In excruciating detail. Even if you don’t want to.” She waved a hand lazily. “But I get it if you’re not comfortable with talking about it. We haven’t really been friends that long. Hell, even if we _had_ … I don’t even think _Jane_ knows.”

Darcy could see his embarrassment increase by the second and took pity on him. “Okay, ending conversation. Here’s Katie’s booth. Hi, Katie!”

“Hey, Darcy!” chirped the heavily pregnant young woman seated behind the table. She made to get up but Darcy waved her down.

“No, no, stay where you are. Damn, girl. You are about to pop! When are you due?”

“Next week, thank God,” Katie replied, rubbing a hand on her swollen stomach. “I can’t do this anymore. Can you believe Robby is already talking about the next one?”

“That bastard,” Darcy said, shaking her head.

“And it’s not like we’re not going to busy enough,” she complained. She glanced over at Steve. “Twins,” she explained shortly.

“Congratulations,” he replied dutifully. “Boys or girls?”

“One of each,” Katie said with a fond smile. “I’m just ready to get them out of me.” She leaned forward, extending her hand. “Hi. I’m Katie, by the way, though I’m sure you picked up on that.”

Steve leaned over the table to shake her hand. “Steve,” he introduced. “I’m Darcy’s neighbor.”

“Welcome to the market,” Katie said, leaning back again. “You been here before?”

“First time,” Steve told her. “I like it.”

“It’s great,” Katie said enthusiastically. “I always hate it when we have to pack up for the winter.”

“How cold does it get here?” Steve asked as Darcy picked out their loaves of bread. “I just moved to the area.”

“We get snow,” Katie replied, rubbing circles into her abdomen almost unconsciously. “Not a lot, usually, but it can get pretty cold. Stays below freezing for a while. Where’d you move from?”

“Brooklyn,” Steve said again, a resigned note to his voice as he realized he’d walked right into it again.

Katie’s eyes widened. “Did you move here because of the Incident?” she asked quietly.

“Uh, no, work,” Steve hedged.

“Hey, do you want blueberry or cinnamon raisin?” Darcy interrupted artfully, holding up a bag of bagels in each hand. “Seriously, though, Katie’s bagels are the best.”

“Then let’s get both,” Steve replied, grateful for the change in subject.

“Awesome,” Darcy dug out cash for her share of their purchases. “Crap. I think we’re gonna run out of bags.”

“I think I have some plastic ones,” Katie said. “Hang on.” She discovered a few plastic grocery bags crammed into one of the boxes under the table and used those to pack up their purchases. “See you next week?”

“Are you even going to be here?” Darcy asked, giving Katie’s stomach a significant look.

Katie frowned. “Good point. Robby will probably have to run the booth.”

“We’ll make sure to stop by for an update,” Darcy promised. “Good luck!”

“Do you know everyone here?” Steve asked as they walked away from the booth.

“Just the ones I see every week,” Darcy said, slightly defensively. “I mean, I have been coming here every week for the last two months, so…” She trailed off as she checked her list. “Right. Jane wanted me to make kolaches and there’s this guy who makes the fruit filling because I really don’t have time for that.”

Steve craned his neck to look around again. They were standing next to a booth with a shelf full of jars of kombucha. “Don’t forget kettle corn,” he reminded her dutifully.

“Right! Thanks.” Darcy dug a pen out of her purse to cross off bread from their list when one of the bottles of kombucha exploded, showering her with glass shards and liquid. Then Steve pushed her to the ground hard enough that landing hurt, knocking the breath out of her lungs.

“The fuck?” she demanded, trying to pick herself back up, but Steve crouched over her, holding her down with one hand on her shoulder.

“There’s men with guns coming this way,” he told her in a clipped, emotionless voice. Darcy’s eyes widened and she followed his gaze.

A trio of men pushed their way through the crowd, carrying assault rifles across their chests, fixed with silencers. People finally realized what was going on and began to flee in all directions, screaming.

“Stay down,” Steve ordered sharply, and got to his feet. He kicked over a table to cover Darcy and charged straight towards the men. The man on point raised his weapon, tracking Steve, but the Captain launched himself in the air at the last minute, flipping straight over the man’s head. As he passed over the attacker, Steve caught his hand under the man’s chin, yanking him onto his back as Steve landed. Steve stomped down on the man’s face, knocking him unconscious.

The other two men had already levelled their rifles at Steve but he grabbed the one on the right out of the man’s hand and smashed the butt of it back into his face before swinging him around and using his body as a shield when the second man opened fire. Steve dropped the lifeless body and lunged forward, cracking his stolen rifle against the third man’s face, sending him flying backwards into a nearby booth.

Darcy stared with her mouth open, unable to tear her eyes away. Steve stood for a moment, looking around at his fallen enemies, both living and dead, and then dropped the gun in his hands. Something whizzed past his shoulder and he flinched away, spinning around.

Bullets thudded into the ground not far from where Darcy lay behind the dubious shelter of the table and she rolled away on instinct, losing sight of Steve as he went after the new attackers. Darcy took several calming breaths and opened her senses to her norn powers. The panic and fear from the people around her was palpable, distracting, but she pushed that aside, focusing instead on where the bullets would land.

 _Katie_. Darcy’s stomach lurched when she realized the pregnant woman’s life was in danger and she pushed herself up on her hands and knees, crawling back in the direction of the bakery stall. She wasn’t concerned with the attackers themselves; Steve would take care of them. Her focus was to get Katie out of the line of fire.

She got up into a bent-over crouch and ran between the stalls until she reached Katie’s. The other woman was lying on her side under the table, arms wrapped around her head. Darcy crouched over her.

“Katie, come on,” she said urgently. “We gotta move. Let’s go.”

“Oh my god,” Katie gasped. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” Darcy replied shortly. “Get up. We gotta move.”

Katie pushed herself upright and Darcy grabbed her hand, waiting for the right time to move, and then bolting for the next booth when her senses told her it was safe, dragging Katie along behind her. Katie sobbed in fear and clung to Darcy, but her panic hadn’t paralyzed her. She kept up with Darcy as best she could when Darcy made a break for the next booth.

“Stay down,” Darcy instructed, and popped her head up to take stock of the situation. She couldn’t see Steve but she still wasn’t worried. If anyone could take care of themselves, it was him. Where were the damn police? _Someone_ should have called 911 by now. Then she realized it had been less than two minutes since the shooting had started, and there was no way any police force could have responded in that time.

She consulted her norn powers for a moment or two and dropped back down to look at Katie. “We’re not safe yet,” she told the other woman. “We gotta move another hundred feet in that direction before we’re out of the line of fire, okay?” Darcy pointed. “Once we’re there, all you have to do is stay put and you’ll be fine.”

Katie nodded, breathless, willing to trust Darcy. Darcy grabbed her hand again and counted out the seconds until they had a clear shot to cover. When the opening arrived, Darcy pulled Katie to her feet and sprinted.

They made it about halfway when something _changed_. Darcy’s senses switched from _we’re going to make it_ to _DANGER DANGER DANGER_ and she had half a second to push Katie down and whirl around before an armed gunman stepped out from behind another booth, turning in their direction.

Darcy froze, her body the only thing between Katie and the gunman. She stared at him, taking in details in a distant, detached manner. He was wearing civilian clothes but he had a radio in one ear and he held himself with military bearing. His gun was already tracking towards her and his gaze flicked to her face, assessing. She realized she was being evaluated, and surmised that these men must have a specific target, someone they were after.

There was a look of confirmation on his face, almost triumph, and Darcy saw his finger tighten on the trigger. She took a deep breath and _pushed_ with all her might. The world crystallized around her and time seemed to stand still. Darcy held the breath. As long as she could hold it, she had time to react. She looked around and saw a nearby table. She reached over, grabbed it with both hands, and exhaled.

She heard a loud _spit_ at the same time she flung the table towards the gunman with the same strength she’d shown in Loki’s cell just a couple of days earlier. The effort of it knocked the breath from her lungs, though, and she stumbled backwards a step.

The table hit the gunman square in the chest, knocking him off his feet and into a different booth. Darcy whirled around, grabbed Katie’s arm, and hauled the woman to her feet. They ran the remaining distance to Darcy’s safe zone and she pushed Katie down again.

“Stay here,” Darcy instructed, and moved to leave.

Katie caught Darcy’s hand. “Where are you going?” she demanded breathlessly.

“I have to find Steve,” Darcy told her, and pulled her hand from Katie’s grasp. She turned and extended her senses again. All she received back was a babble of fear and pain. Steve was lost in the chaos, but most of the panic was coming from a single direction, so Darcy ran towards it, fast enough that she got a stitch under her ribs.

By now most of the crowd had cleared out, and the feedback Darcy was getting was from people who had taken cover under tables and behind booths, too scared to move. Darcy could hear more silenced gunfire coming from ahead of her, as well as crashes and grunts.

She saw five of the gunmen lined up and approaching a veh parked on the street at the edge of the market, their guns spitting bullets into the metal. Darcy skidded to a halt, trying and failing to come up with a plan, when Steve vaulted over the top of the car, holding one of the car doors in one hand. He landed squarely on his feet and threw the door at his attackers, causing them to duck and scatter. He was on the nearest one with fists and feet, dropping him within seconds.

The remaining gunmen tried to recover and re-orient themselves, but Steve was too quick for them. He grabbed the rifle of the closest attacker, dragged him forward, and then jabbed the gun back into the man’s face before he even let go of the weapon. When the man dropped, releasing his hold on the weapon, Steve used it to bludgeon the next attacker into unconsciousness.

One of the last two tried to step back and fire at Steve, but he batted the barrel of the rifle aside with his hand, sending the bullets into the attacker’s remaining partner, and Steve felled him with a powerful punch to the jaw.

Steve stood for a moment, crouched, rifle still held in one hand, waiting for new enemies to appear. Darcy closed her eyes and flung her senses outward, searching for any more malevolent presences, and found none. She took a breath to call out to Steve and there was a sudden, sharp pain in her right side.

Darcy’s breath hitched. She couldn’t draw deep enough to speak. She felt abruptly felt lightheaded, and the world around her flickered, replaced by Loki’s cell for a split second. She felt disconnected, like her hold on her current location was weak and any moment she was going to be catapulted to a different realm.

Steve turned toward her, dropping the rifle in his hand, and his eyes flicked up and down before widening in dismay. He bounded over to her, grabbing her by her hips just as her legs gave out underneath her. He was trying to tell her something but his words were drowned out by the rushing in her ears.

She blinked, and she was back in Loki’s cell again, but it flickered in and out, like bad reception on an old TV. Loki turned and saw her, and he too stared at her in dismay before hurrying over and grabbing her shoulders.

Darcy very much wanted to go to sleep. The pain in her side was already lessening, but it was still hard to breathe. It was becoming more and more difficult to stay awake. Loki was trying to talk to her, his mouth moving, but the rushing noise still blocked everything out.

For a moment the worlds flickered back and forth between Earth and Asgard, Steve and Loki. Darcy couldn’t tell the difference between them and found she didn’t care. She just wanted to go to sleep…

Darkness rushed up from beneath her and swallowed her whole.

_Darcy stood in a grand hall, dressed in a simple white shift, her feet bare. The floor was ice-cold but it didn’t bother her. There were pillars spaced almost randomly through the chamber, twisted in natural shapes and rough in texture, like tree bark, only they shimmered silver in the light._

_She looked upwards to the ceiling, only to find there was none. Overhead was only an expanse of stars, as dense and brilliant as could be seen from the Bifrost, scattered against a background of multicolored nebulae._

_The hall stretched out in every direction for as far as she could see. Darcy picked a direction and started walking. She couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here, but she wasn’t afraid. This place felt safe. This place felt like_ home _._

_She did not know how long she walked, nor did she care. She had a feeling that time worked differently in this place, that it had little meaning. She passed many of the huge pillars until something prompted her to walk up to one and place both hands on it._

_The surface of the pillar was as rough as it appeared, but it was_ warm _, and it pulsed with life. Darcy could feel energy surging within it, travelling upwards to the stars and outwards to the other realms. It was an ancient energy and yet full of life. It carried memory and wisdom, but it was present and fresh, waiting to be used for the first time._

_“Sigyn?” A female voice spoke behind Darcy, and she turned to see another woman standing not far off. She wore the same white shift that Darcy did, her feet also bear. Her hair was a blonde so pale it was white, braided with blood-red ribbons in two plaits over her shoulders. Another red ribbon was bound around her brow, holding a silver emblem of a horned moon._

_The woman took a step towards Darcy. “Sigyn, is that truly you?” she asked, her face lighting up with delight. “Oh, my sister! We have waited so long for you to return to us! And here you are now, home again.”_

_Darcy blinked at the woman as she approached, arms outstretched. Her thoughts felt sluggish, but she felt as if she should know this woman. This woman should mean something to her. She stretched out her arms toward the woman on instinct and they embraced. When Darcy’s skin made contact with the other woman’s, she_ knew _._

_“Embla,” she said out loud. “I remember you.”_

_Embla leaned away from Darcy to examine her face. “Of course you remember me,” she said, smiling gently. “I am your sister, after all.” She brushed the hair back from Darcy’s forehead. “I see you are still coming into your powers, my dear sister. It has taken so very long for them to return.”_

_“Yes,” Darcy agreed. “I don’t remember everything.”_

_Embla frowned in thought. “What do you remember, Sigyn?”_

_“I remember dying,” Darcy admitted. “But I do not know if it is the future or the past.”_

_Embla’s frown turned into one of concern. “I am afraid you have many deaths to remember, my dear. Both future and past. As long as you are trapped in a mortal vessel, it will be your fate.”_

_Darcy grimaced. There was a sharp pain in her side, and she pressed her hand there, feeling warm stickiness under her palm. She pulled her hand away and saw it smeared with bright red blood._

_“You are wounded!” Embla cried in dismay. “What has happened?”_

_“I was shot,” Darcy said numbly, and collapsed to the floor._

Darcy staggered when she landed in Loki’s cell, disoriented from the transition from wide open spaces to confinement. Loki was at her side in an instant, hands gripping her upper arms.

“Darcy,” he said, his voice sharp and insistent. “Can you hear me?”

Her brain still felt slow, her mouth and tongue reluctant to obey her commands. Her side still hurt, restricting her breathing. She’d never felt pain this intense before except in the dream where Thanos killed her.

“Am I dying?” she asked thickly.

Loki helped her sit onto his bed, crouching in front of her without releasing his hold on her. “No,” he told her firmly. “You are _not_ dying. You have been wounded. Can you tell me where you are?”

She blinked at him slowly. “I’m in your cell,” she said after several moments of concentration.

“No,” Loki said impatiently. “Your body. Where are you _truly_?”

She took a couple of labored breaths, doing her best to focus. “The market,” she said at length.

Loki nodded at her encouragingly. “What happened? How were you injured? Is someone with you?”

Darcy closed her eyes against the onslaught of questions. Why wouldn’t he let her sleep? She was so tired…

“Darcy!”

She struggled to open her eyes again. He frowned at her, his face pinched with worry. “Did you hear me?” he demanded. “Can you answer my questions?”

“There were men with guns,” Darcy said at length. “I think I got shot.”

“Is there someone with you?” Loki demanded.

Darcy nodded, her head feeling heavy. “Steve,” she said groggily.

“Good,” Loki said. “Now Darcy, I need you to do one more thing for me. Can you do that?” She stared at him, the rushing coming back to her ears. Loki gave her a little shake. “Darcy! Can you do this for me?”

Her head tipped forward, more from the shaking than an actual acknowledgment, but Loki took it as one anyway. “I need you to wake up,” he told her, his fingers digging into her biceps. “Darcy, I need you to wake up.”

Darcy groaned in protest and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to wake up. The pain would only get worse and she wanted so badly to sleep. Besides, why should she do anything Loki said? He wasn’t allowed to tell her what to do.

“Darcy, _listen_ to me,” Loki said, his voice sharp and intense. “If you do not wake up, you could die. You _must_ wake up.”

“You said I wasn’t dying,” Darcy whined without opening her eyes.

“You will not if you wake up. _Please_ , Darcy.”

Darcy was so surprised her eyes blinked open and she stared at Loki. His face was pale, eyes bright and fixed on hers. “You said ‘please,’” she said numbly.

He huffed out a breath. “And you will never hear me say it again, so take my meaning well,” he said quickly. “Now, for the love of Yggdrasil and all that is sacred, _wake up_.”

His desire was so strong that it gave her a brief moment of energy, just the barest nudge in the right direction. Darcy closed her eyes and pushed back against the fog clouding her senses and fought to reach the surface, to swim through the darkness…

She woke up flat on her back in an ambulance just as the paramedic placed the second AED patch on the side of her ribcage. He looked down and his gloved hand shot out towards his partner. “Hold on, I got her back!”

“Pulse is rising,” the second paramedic reported, eyes fixed on a computer screen somewhere above Darcy’s head. “It’s weak, but it’s holding.”

“Morphine,” the first paramedic ordered. The second handed a syringe over but Darcy didn’t feel the prick in her arm when he administered it. Her whole world was consumed by the fire in her side, the pain she felt from the top of her head down to her toes. She didn’t have enough breath to scream, despite the oxygen mask over her face. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

Steve leaned into her field of vision, his complexion ashen. “Hey,” he called softly. “You gave us a scare. Welcome back.”

Darcy didn’t try to talk. She struggled to stay conscious against the pull of the darkness. Loki told her she would die if she didn’t stay awake. She had to stay awake. Darcy flung her arm clumsily in Steve’s direction. He caught her hand and held it tightly.

“We’re getting you to the hospital,” he assured her. “I’ve already called Jane. She’s gonna meet us there. You’re gonna be fine, Darcy. Just hang on, okay? Just hang on.”

Darcy clutched his hand with all her dwindling strength. The darkness came creeping back, encroaching on the edges of her vision.

“Darcy?” she heard Steve say distantly. “Hey, stay with me. Darcy!”

His voice faded away to silence as the darkness consumed her.

_The hall was unchanged, still vast, still roofed by stars and upheld by tree trunks. Darcy turned in a slow circle. There was no sign of Embla; indeed, no sign of any other life. Darcy touched her side. The bloodstain was still there, but the dampness had cooled and the pain had lessened. It was still difficult to breathe, and now it was beginning to feel as if there was liquid in her lungs. She coughed, the sound rattling in her chest, and rasped a few breaths before recovering._

_As she had before, she picked a direction and started walking. As she passed each pillar, she drifted close enough to brush her hand against it, drawing comfort from the warm energy that surged within. She walked for a long time, alone, thinking of nothing, having no destination in mind._

_It was a while before she realized her feet now moved with purpose, taking her in a direction they had decided themselves. There was a noise growing in the back of her head--no, not a noise, a dissonance. There was something out of tune with the universe and Darcy was walking straight towards it._

_She walked until the dissonance became a discord, and then a cacophony. It filled her mind and senses until there was room for nothing else. She wanted to know the source, so she could get rid of it, get it out of her head. Then she came to a dead halt._

_In front of her stood four megaliths of black stone, carved over their entire surfaces with runes. They stood four-square like ancient guardians: one North, one South, one East, and one West. In the center of the megaliths was a fifth stone, shorter and blockier, almost like an altar, gray and weathered with time. Upon the stone rested a knife carved from bone._

_Darcy stepped forward to get a better look at the knife. It held no ornamentation, no carving. The blade and handle were made from a single piece, yellowed with age. It was entirely unremarkable, puny even, but it was the source of the chaos Darcy felt._

_She moved forward again, drawing even with two of the megaliths, drawn to the knife by some unknown power._

_“A shame, really,” said a voice behind her._

_Darcy was unable to turn to see who it was, fixated by the power of the knife._

_“Yes. She was so close to finally awakening. Now she will have to start over with a new vessel.” A second voice joined the first, both female._

_“This will delay our plans.”_

_“Only a few decades or so.”_

_“And you are certain she would have cooperated?”_

_“She has before.”_

_Darcy stepped over the line drawn between the two megaliths, feeling the snap of an unseen barrier. The knife called to her stronger, now, and she was unable to resist. She stretched out her hand, fingers trembling, almost close enough to take it up._

_A hand closed around her wrist, instantly breaking the spell. Darcy looked up sharply. A woman stood beside her. Like Embla and Darcy herself, she wore the white shift. Her hair was jet-black and fell in a silk-straight curtain to her waist, restrained only by the ice-blue ribbon around her forehead. The silver horned moon rested between her dark brows, glinting in the starlight._

_“I would be cautious, were I you, sister,” the woman said, and she had been one of the voices behind Darcy. “It is not yet time for this blade to be taken up.”_

_Darcy didn’t attempt to pull her hand out of the other woman’s grip. She knew this woman. She knew her name was Urd, that she was one of the Eldest, that she had seen the birth of the universe and would likely see its ending._

_“What is it?” Darcy asked, unable to look away from Urd’s gray eyes._

_“This, my dear sister,” Urd said, her voice carrying great weight. “Is Ragnarok.”_


	10. As Long As You're Still Burning Bright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've pretty much been writing every night on this story, which is great for now, but that means at some point I'm gonna need a break. I hope you guys won't get too mad if that happens, but I promise it won't be for too long.
> 
> Just to warn you, I have mapped this out to be 150-175 thousand words long, so I hope you're ready for the long haul.
> 
> As usual, thanks for reading and enjoy!

Darcy regained consciousness slowly. The first sensation she felt was warmth. She was surrounded by something warm and soft and her body felt heavy, sluggish. There was a faint hum in the background, accompanied by the occasional rustle of paper. Other than that there was silence.

She would have expected more noise from a hospital. Beeping, at the very least. Shouldn’t she be hooked up to a heart monitor or something? Unless, of course, she was dead. But then that raised the question of where Darcy would go if she died. After all, she was both Jewish and a norn. Would she go to Gehenna, or Valhalla? Did Valhalla even exist? For that matter, did Gehenna exist? Darcy shied away from the thought. She was not willing to give up on beliefs she’d held her whole life.

She didn’t know how long she’d been unconscious. She didn’t know how long it had been since she’d gotten shot. Her brain kicked into high gear. Who had those men been? Why were they shooting up a farmer’s market in downtown DC? Who had they been after? And was Katie okay?

Darcy tried to open her eyes and found her eyelids to be inexplicably heavy. When she finally struggled them open, it was to behold a white, smooth ceiling, completely nondescript. She slanted her eyes to the side and caught the edge of a golden force field. She slipped her eyes closed again with a silent groan.

Okay. So she was pretty sure she was not dead, because she couldn’t dreamwalk if she was dead, right? She tried to wiggle her toes and fingers to see how much mobility she had. There was a dull ache in her right side and she couldn’t seem to draw in a full breath. Once she practiced moving her fingers and toes, she moved on to arms and legs until she could reach up a hand to push the fur blanket down away from her nose. She turned her head to take in the rest of the cell.

Loki sat in a new chair at his desk, reading intently from a book while his hand hovered over the ivory bracelet. Every so often a green shimmer drifted down from his hand to envelop the bracelet, which absorbed the magic like a sponge.

Darcy watched him work until the dryness in her mouth became too much for her to ignore. She cleared her throat and coughed. Loki turned to look at her, his expression smoothing when he saw her awake. He stood and crossed over to a small table where a silver pitcher sat, and poured out a cup of water before bringing it to her. She took it in a trembling hand and managed to take a few sips without slopping it everywhere. She let her head drop back onto the pillow as she handed it back.

“How long have I been here?” she mumbled, squinting against the white, diffused light in the cell.

Loki waved a hand in the air, his fingers sparkling green, and the light dimmed to a more comfortable level. “Two days,” he told her.

Darcy groaned and lifted her hand enough to press her fingertips to her eyes. “Fuck. I feel like… feel groggy. Think I’m being drugged.”

“That would not be surprising,” Loki replied. “Your injury was severe.”

She lowered her hand and frowned. “Doesn’t hurt as much now. Must be getting the good stuff.”

Loki replaced the cup on the side table and went back to his seat at the desk. “That would explain your extended time here.”

Darcy frowned. “I woke up,” she said.

Loki gave her an inquiring look. “Yes, you did,” he agreed, clearly not understanding the significance.

Her frown grew when he didn’t get her meaning. “I woke up. By myself. Never done that before.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps all you lacked was a proper motivation.”

Her frown turned into a scowl. “Like getting shot?” she growled.

Loki shrugged a shoulder. “If it is effective,” he said carelessly.

Darcy wrinkled her nose. “You’re an asshole.” She pulled her fur blanket tight around her again. “‘M hungry.”

Loki got up once more, and retrieved the cup of water. He passed his hand over it, and it immediately began to steam. He helped Darcy to sit up before placing the cup in her hands. She hunched over the cup and inhaled the steam coiling up from it.

“Whassit?” she asked blearily.

“It is called _kava_ ,” he told her. “It’s given to children when they are ill to sustain them.”

Darcy peered into the cup. It was dark brown, clear, and smelled savory, almost meaty. “I’ve had _kava_ before,” she said. “This ain’t it.”

“There is more than one kind of _kava_ ,” Loki said impatiently.

She snorted and lifted the cup to take a sip. It did have a distinctly meaty flavor, but had more body than meat broth usually did. She found that the small cup completely satisfied her hunger, and afterwards she was tired again.

“Can I sleep?” she asked Loki. “You told me before I had to wake up. Is it safe to sleep now?”

He nodded curtly. “I would say you are no longer in any danger,” he replied. He waved a hand dismissively. “Sleep all you desire. It will not harm you.”

She snuggled back under the fur blanket, curling up on her left side. “I dreamed,” she murmured as sleep began to overtake her. “I dreamed about the norns.”

Loki tilted his head at her, his expression growing intent. “What did you learn from them?” he asked in a low voice.

She closed her eyes. “They’ve been waiting for me.”

Sleep enveloped her fully, and she gave herself up to the darkness.

_The third time she found herself in the great hall, Darcy was almost relieved. Each time she came here it felt more familiar, more like home. She felt in the inmost part of her soul that she belonged here. Embla was waiting for her when she arrived._

_The other norn hurried forward and caught Darcy’s hands in hers. “Sigyn! I was worried about you! Urd said you were close to death, and I feared your vessel had perished.”_

_Darcy gave her a weak smile. “I’m a tough cookie.”_

_Embla laughed and tugged Darcy along, leading her to a low table set on the marble floor. Thick cushions were placed on the floor around the table, and Urd sat cross-legged on one, holding a wooden cup in her hands._

_“Come sit with us,” Embla invited, pulling Darcy over to the table. Darcy lowered herself carefully onto one of the cushions, her right side twinging painfully. She grimaced and held a hand to her side._

_“Are you in pain?” Embla asked, her pale eyebrows drawing together in concern. Her eyes were pale as well, almost colorless, like gray skies just before dawn._

_“Hurts a little,” Darcy told her. “I’ll be fine.”_

_“Do you not yet have control over your vessel?” Urd asked with a frown, placing her cup on the table. There were plates of bread and fruit, cheese curd and yogurt, as well as a large teapot with steam curling from its spout._

_“Uh, not really,” Darcy said. “I’m still kinda new at this.”_

_“Your vessel is new, your power is not,” Urd said with a sniff._

_Darcy narrowed her eyes at Urd. “You know, I’d be a lot better at this if I had someone teaching me,” she all but snapped in annoyance._

_“This is a journey only you can take,” Urd replied dismissively. “Pandering to your ignorance will not help you.”_

_Darcy flushed red and opened her mouth to reply, but Embla smoothly cut in. “Sigyn, may I pour you some tea?” she asked sweetly. “You will find it very soothing in your state, I am sure.”_

_Darcy dragged her gaze away from Urd’s implacable expression and turned to Embla’s much kinder face. “Yes,” she said firmly. “I would love some tea.”_

_Embla poured amber-colored liquid from the bronze teapot into an elaborately-carved wooden cup and passed it to Darcy. It tasted exactly like the tea her bubbe used to make when she was younger and couldn’t sleep._

_“Are you recovering well?” Embla asked solicitously._

_“Honestly, I don’t know,” Darcy replied. “It’s only been two days and I haven’t woken up yet.”_

_“Oh,” Embla frowned. “Does it usually take longer for humans to heal?”_

_“From a bullet wound?” Darcy asked, eyebrows shooting up. “Yeah. A bit.”_

_“I see,” Embla looked unhappy for Darcy._

_“How many of us are there?” Darcy asked abruptly, putting down her cup. She looked at Embla, not Urd._

_“There are nine norns, but the disir are more plentiful,” Embla told her. “There are twenty-seven of the disir.”_

_Darcy shook her head. “Who are the disir?”_

_“Embla,” Urd said sharply. “You know the rules.”_

_Embla snapped her mouth closed, shoulders bowing. Darcy glowered at Urd. “Am I, like, the only person not allowed to know things?” she demanded._

_“Hardly,” Urd replied. “All of us go through the same when we take a new vessel.”_

_“Then why are you making it so difficult?” Darcy exclaimed, waving her hand angrily. Her side pulled at the sudden motion and she winced, pressing a hand over the injured area._

_“The trials we overcome as we learn our powers only make us stronger,” Urd told her pointedly. “We are helping you, even if you don’t see it.”_

_“Well, if you were planning on convincing me to help you on whatever your plans are, you’re not doing a very good job at it,” Darcy retorted. She got to her feet and turned to Embla. “Thank you for the tea, but I think I need to leave now.”_

_Embla quickly rose to her feet as well and carefully embraced Darcy. “Return to us, soon, sister. The Hall of Stars has long missed your presence.”_

_“I don’t know how I’m getting here,” Darcy admitted. “But I’ll do my best.”_

_Embla smiled at her, hands still on Darcy’s shoulders. “You will always find your way home,” she assured Darcy._

Darcy heard the beeping first. Her limbs were stiff and heavy, just like before, but the air smelled different; artificial and recycled. There was an oxygen tube in her nose, and the sheets she was lying on were rough against her skin. She could hear a PA in the background but couldn’t make out the words.

The pain in her right side was sharper and it was harder to breathe. But when she went to open her eyes, she found it easier this time. She was in a hospital, much to her relief. She turned her head to the side and looked down at the bed she was lying on. She saw the painkiller pump lying on the blanket next to her left hand and she curled her fingers around it, pressing the button on the top.

After a few seconds, the pain began to receded but it was still difficult to breathe. She felt as if she couldn’t draw a full breath, despite the additional oxygen. As she took another look around the room, she saw Clint sitting in a chair next to her bed, feet propped up on the bed rail. His arms were crossed over his chest and his chin was tucked in, eyes closed.

Darcy managed to move her foot enough to bump the railing, jostling his legs. His head shot up and he saw her watching him. He gave her a lopsided grin.

“Hey there, sunshine. You have a good nap?”

“The best,” Darcy croaked through a dry throat. “Water?”

Clint got to his feet and got a cup from the bedside table. It had a straw, and he held it so she could take a few sips. “How you feeling?” he asked.

“Got this,” Darcy said, waggling the pain pump at him. “‘M good.” She frowned up at him. “What’re you doin’ here?”

“Your folks needed to step out, get something to eat and get cleaned up,” Clint told her. “Told them I’d stay with you until they got back.”

She smiled weakly at him. “Thanks.”

He put the cup back on the table. “No worries, kid.”

“How’s Steve?” Darcy asked, wrinkling her nose at the unfamiliar feeling of the tube.

“He’s okay,” Clint assured her. “He’s in a briefing right now, but he’s been asking about you every hour or so.”

“Do they know,” Darcy had to stop and take a few breaths. “Who did it?”

Clint sat back down in his chair, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his knees. “They’ve got a few leads, but nothing substantial yet. If it makes you feel better, we don’t think you were the target. Most likely they were going after Rogers.”

Darcy nodded slightly but she couldn’t forget the triumphant expression of the man who had shot her. “Katie,” she said. “She okay?”

Clint frowned. “I don’t know about anyone named Katie but I’ll ask, okay?”

She smiled again. “Thanks.” She stirred restlessly, testing out her limbs. “‘M parents are here?”

“Yeah, they flew in the same night. SHIELD made sure they got flights asap.”

Darcy found the buttons to adjust the bed and raised herself into a more upright position. Then she lowered herself slightly, and raised herself again. Clint rolled his eyes at her childishness. Darcy tried to raise her head and discovered there were sensors taped to each of her temples. She raised her hand to rub irritably at one.

Clint caught her hand and pulled it down. “Better not,” he warned. “They recorded some unusual brain activity while you were out.”

Darcy froze, staring at him. “What?” she asked.

He smiled encouragingly and squeezed her hand before letting go. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Docs said you’re gonna be fine.”

Jane appeared in the doorway with a coffee cup in each hand. At the sight of Darcy awake, she rushed over and shoved the cups into Clint’s hands. “Oh, my god, Darcy, we were so worried! How do you feel? Are you okay?” She grabbed Darcy’s hand with both of hers and leaned toward her, face crinkled with concern.

Darcy smiled at her and squeezed Jane’s hands weakly. “I’m fine, Janey. I’m good.”

Jane shook her head. “I can’t believe you got _shot_. In the middle of DC! You’d think of all places the security would be better around here.”

“Well, _actually_ ,” Clint began, but Jane cut him off with a glare.

“Don’t shatter my delicate sense of security,” she warned him. He backed away, putting one of the coffee cups on the side table and taking a sip from the second one. Jane turned back to Darcy. “It’s bad enough we work for SHIELD, but now I have to worry about my assistant getting caught in the crossfire!”

“Jane, I’m _okay_ ,” Darcy insisted, squeezing her hand again.

Jane reached out to brush a few strands of hair from her forehead. “I know,” she said softly. “I was just so worried.”

Someone’s phone chirped and Clint pulled his out of a pocket, squinting at the screen. “And that’s Cap, right on time,” he announced. He quickly tapped out a text. “He’ll be happy to hear you’re awake.”

Darcy tried to take a deep breath but her lungs wouldn’t expand fully. She felt sleep pulling at her again. “Can you wake me when my parents get back?” she asked Jane.

“You should get as much rest as you can,” Jane told her. “They’ll still be here when you wake up.”

“I’ve been asleep for two days,” Darcy protested with a yawn. “‘M not tired anymore.” She missed the sharp look Clint gave her when she closed her eyes again.

XxxXxxX

Darcy distantly remembered dozing in Loki’s cell while he worked over the bracelet, fur blanket wrapped tight around her. She roused a couple of times and he brought her water and _kava_ each time before she nodded off again. When she woke completely, feeling more alert but also in more pain, she was back in the hospital, blinking in the glare of the florescent lights.

“This is too confusing,” Darcy muttered to herself, feeling around for her pain pump.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Darcy’s mom said, getting up from her chair and walking over.

“Mom,” Darcy smiled at Joanna as she took Darcy’s hand. “Hey. Good to see you.”

“Oh, Darcy,” Joanna said, tears in her eyes. “You scared us so much.”

Darcy squeezed her mother’s hand. “I’m okay,” she said, and she had a feeling she was going to be saying that a lot over the next few weeks. “Really, Mom. I’m fine. Where’s Dad?”

“He’s talking to your doctor,” Joanna told her. She dragged her chair closer to Darcy’s bed and sat down. “When we got the call that you’d been shot, we didn’t know what to think! You told us you were working for a scientist! In a lab.”

“I am,” Darcy said with a sigh.

“But SHIELD?” Joanna asked. “You never said anything about SHIELD.”

Darcy wrinkled her nose, wishing she could breathe well enough to remove the oxygen tube. “It’s classified,” she said lamely.

“That’s what the agent said,” Joanna went on. “He said we couldn’t ask you about your work or the people you work with. They said they were handling the investigation and they couldn’t tell us any of the details.” Joanna leaned forward, squeezing Darcy’s hand. “What did you get yourself into, honey?”

Darcy blew out another shallow sigh. “I have a job I like,” she explained. “That I’m good at. With good people. We’re doing good things.” She smiled encouragingly. “Trust me.”

“I do trust you,” Joanna replied. “I just don’t trust everyone else.”

Darcy groaned faintly at the oft-repeated phrase but was saved from replying when her father walked in with a middle-aged man in a white coat. George Lewis circled the bed to stand next to his wife and smiled down at Darcy.

“Hey, Darce,” he greeted, patting her arm. “Good to see you awake. Had us guessing there for a bit.”

“Sorry,” Darcy said with a grimace. She turned her head to look at the doctor, whose nametag read “McKenna.” “What’s the damage?”

Dr McKenna raised an eyebrow at her flippant tone, but took a breath and said, “The bullet entered between your third and fourth rib and exited in the back between your fourth and fifth rib. It chipped the bone on the way out, but just barely. It did, however, pierce your lung, which is why you’re probably having some difficulty breathing.”

“Little bit, yeah,” Darcy agreed.

“Overall, you’re very lucky,” he continued. “The surgery was pretty straightforward. I’m confident you’ll recover quite nicely. There was one thing, though,” He checked the tablet he was holding. “While you were sedated, we recorded periods of beta waves on your EEG.”

Darcy blinked a couple of times at him. “Must be the painkillers. What’s beta waves?”

“They indicate waking or conscious brain activity,” Dr McKenna explained. “And they were recorded while you were sedated for surgery, which should have been impossible.”

It took Darcy a couple more seconds to make the connection. She had been dreamwalking for the past two days, either in Asgard or in the norn’s Hall of Stars. During that time she was technically awake, right? Or, at least, her brain had to be active.

“At first we thought it was an anomaly, which is why we’ve been monitoring your brain activity,” Dr McKenna went on. “But we’ve recorded several more periods of beta waves during times all other indicators showed you were asleep.”

“What does that mean?” Joanna asked worriedly, clutching at Darcy’s hand.

“Well, mostly it means that Darcy isn’t achieving full REM sleep,” Dr McKenna said. “But I’m sure she can confirm she’s been having trouble sleeping and been waking up tired.”

Both of Darcy’s parents turned to stare at her expectantly. “I guess,” she said with a shrug and a wince.

“What would be causing this?” George demanded.

“We’d like to run some tests before we come to any conclusions,” McKenna said, tucking his tablet under his arm. “Since Darcy is going to be here for the next few days, we can take care of those now.”

“No,” Darcy said, a hair too quickly. She grimaced when her parents turned to stare at her again. “I don’t want any tests done.”

“But, Darcy, if this isn’t normal, then we should try to find out what’s causing it!” her mother said with a frown.

Darcy scratched at the oxygen tube irritably. “I think I have enough on my plate getting shot. I don’t need any more tests done.”

“She used to talk in her sleep,” Joanna told Dr McKenna. “And she had night terrors when she was younger. Could that be related?”

“Mom!” Darcy said sharply. “I _said_ no.”

“Why don’t you want to find out what’s wrong?” George demanded.

Darcy scowled. “I’m twenty-two. I can make my own medical decisions, and I’m deciding no tests.”

Dr McKenna nodded and made a note on his tablet. “Of course. It is your decision. If you change your mind, though, let us know.” He made a few more notes and then left, still reading his tablet as he left.

Joanna gave Darcy a disapproving look. “What was that all about?” she asked, her concern coming out as annoyance. “Aren’t you even a little worried that something might be wrong?”

Darcy dropped her head back against the pillow. She was really not in the mood to be having this conversation. “They ran tests when I was a kid and didn’t find anything. They’re not going to find anything this time, either.”

“That was ten years ago,” Joanna protested. “I’m sure the tests are better now. They might find something this time.”

“I don’t want to talk about this right now,” Darcy said, almost a whine. “Please, can we not?”

“I’m sorry,” Joanna immediately backpedaled when she saw tears gather in Darcy’s eyes. “We’re just worried about you, sweetie.”

“Why won’t anyone believe me that I’m _fine_?” Darcy complained, scrubbing at her eyes.

“Probably because you never admit when you’re not,” Steve said from the doorway. Darcy brightened immediately at the sight of him standing there, holding a bouquet of sunflowers. Darcy could see Jane standing behind him with a plastic bag.

“Hey,” Darcy greeted. “Come on in. Meet the ‘rents. Mom, Dad, this is my neighbor Steve. We work in the same building.”

Steve and Jane both came in, Steve putting the flowers Darcy’s bed. “It’s good to meet you, Mr and Mrs Lewis,” he said politely, extending his hand.

George exchanged handshakes with the younger (older? Darcy needed to think about that later, when she was not on painkillers) man. “You work with SHIELD, too?” he asked, eying Steve suspiciously.

“I do,” Steve confirmed, keeping his face expressionless.

Darcy picked up the sunflowers to inspect them. “Did Jane tell you these were my favorites?” she asked him, mostly to distract her father.

Jane put the plastic bag down and held up her hands. “Don’t look at me,” she said quickly. “I didn’t know you had a favorite flower.” That last bit was spoken with a distinct accusatory tone. Darcy stuck her tongue out at Jane.

“I noticed you had a bunch of them in the kitchen when we had dinner,” Steve told her. “Thought you might like some more.”

“They’re lovely, thank you,” Darcy said. “And thanks for being there for me.”

Steve frowned deeply. “I’m sorry you got hurt,” he said, and Darcy felt like he wanted to say more but was holding himself back in front of her parents. “You shouldn’t have been compromised like that.”

“It’s not your fault,” Darcy insisted, giving him a firm look. “Hey, d’you know if Katie is alright?”

“Uh, yeah, Barton asked me to tell you,” Steve gestured back towards the door. “She went into labor. They brought her here, actually. Both babies are fine, perfectly healthy.”

Darcy perked up. “Oh, awesome! D’you think they’ll let me see her?”

Steve shrugged. “We can ask.”

“Who is Katie?” Joanna asked, looking between Steve and Darcy.

“She’s the woman whose life Darcy saved,” Steve said softly, holding Darcy’s gaze.

Darcy blushed and looked down. “Just did what anyone else would’ve done,” she mumbled.

“No, you didn’t,” Jane piped up. “You literally took a bullet for someone, Darcy. That’s incredibly brave.”

Darcy shrugged, uncomfortable with the attention, and pointed at the plastic bag Jane had brought. “What did you bring me?” she asked.

“Matzo ball soup from Goldie’s,” Jane told her. “You’ve been eating out of a tube for the last two days. Figured you’d want something good.”

Darcy made grabby hands and Jane unpacked it and gave her a spoon. Darcy took a couple of bites before she looked around. “Uh, guys, can I talk to Steve alone for a few minutes?” she asked.

Steve straightened, giving her an inquiring look, and George frowned deeply. “Is everything okay?” he asked Darcy. Joanna grabbed his arm and started dragging him out of the room.

“I’m sure it’s okay, honey,” she told her husband, and threw Darcy a significant look. Once her parents left, Darcy looked at Jane apologetically.

“You, too. Sorry, Janey.”

Jane crossed her arms. “Are you going to talk about the investigation?” she demanded. “Because I think I can be in on that conversation.”

“Do we know anything about the investigation?” Darcy asked, sucking on her spoon.

“We’ve traced the gunmen back to a mercenary unit out of South Africa,” Steve told them. “We’re still working on who hired them.”

“I’m pretty sure a couple of them were still alive, right?” Darcy asked. “Can’t SHIELD, I dunno, interrogate them?”

“We’re working on it,” Steve said again.

“Okay, thanks for the update.” Darcy reached over and poked Jane with her spoon. “Out now. Personal things.”

Jane raised her eyebrow at Darcy and gave her a hard look. “Personal, huh?” she asked, before turning and walking out. She shot Steve the same intense look. “Personal,” she repeated flatly.

Steve frowned, confused, and watched her until she was out of the room. “Why do I get the feeling I’m being given the cold shoulder all of the sudden?” he asked Darcy.

Darcy took a few more bites of soup. “She’s mad at being left out,” she said. “I got a problem.”

Steve turned to look at her. “What kind of problem?” he asked.

“Norn problem,” Darcy told him. “Doc told me they recorded beta brain activity while I was sedated for surgery, and again when I was supposed to be sleeping and now my parents want me to do tests and I can’t hold them off forever and I don’t know what to _do_.”

Steve shook his head. “Whoa. Slow down. What is beta brain activity?”

“It means you’re awake. Wide awake,” Darcy explained. “I.e, dreamwalking.”

“And the doctors were able to record it?” Steve asked, sounding more intrigued than alarmed.

Darcy pointed at the sensors still affixed to her temples. “Yeah,” she said. “And now it looks like I’ve got a medical problem that my parents are going to freak out about-- _again_.”

Steve frowned. “Okay. I understand you’re upset, but I don’t know what you want me to do.”

Darcy growled. “I don’t know if there’s anything you _can_ do. I just needed to vent to someone and you’re about it.”

“Thor been out of town?” Steve asked, only half teasing.

Darcy rolled his eyes. “Last I heard he was on Muspell, quelling some rebellion. Apparently the Nine Realms went to hell in a handbasket after the Bifrost was destroyed.”

“Oh,” Steve said, and frowned again. Darcy felt guilty.

“Eesh. Did I not tell you that?”

“No. No, I don’t think you did,” Steve said slowly.

“Sorry,” Darcy said with her mouth full.

“That would explain why he hasn’t come back,” Steve murmured to himself, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yeah, trust me, it’s the _only_ reason,” Darcy said, waving her spoon at him. “If it weren’t for his princely duties you bet he’d get his happy ass back to Earth asap.”

Steve tilted his head at her. “Because of Dr Foster?” he asked.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Yup,” she said longsufferingly. “Those two: definition of ‘it’s meant to be.’”

“I thought you said they only spent a weekend together,” Steve said.

“And it was pretty much love at first science,” Darcy explained. She dug her spoon into her container of soup. “You can send my parents and Jane back in. If we wait any longer my mother will start planning the wedding.”

“Planning the _what_?” Steve asked, alarmed.

Darcy snorted at him. “Please. Did you see my mom hustle my dad out of here?” She started to laugh at his expression and winced, holding her side. “Ow. Don’t worry, I’ll disabuse her of the notion soon enough. _Ow_ , dammit. Where is my pain pump?” Darcy searched the blankets until she found it and pressed the button. “Ugh. I guess I’m gonna go to sleep now. I’m sick of dreamwalking.”

“Can you... _not_ dreamwalk?” Steve asked, taking the tub of soup and spoon when she held them out to him.

“Haven’t figured that out yet,” Darcy said, already getting drowsy. “Don’t have control yet.” She snuggled down against the pillow. “Can you make sure Jane gets some sleep and something to eat? I don’t want all my hard work to go to waste.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Steve assured her. “Get some sleep.”

“‘M trying, but I keep ending up in the dungeons,” Darcy mumbled, eyes drifting shut. “And that bed is uncomfortable as fuck.”

She didn’t hear Steve’s reply, if any at all, because she’d already fallen asleep.

XxxXxxX

_The wind whipped snow and ice around the cloaked figure, fluttering the shadowy fabric against the slight body underneath. The hood was drawn low over the face, hiding the features. As the figure walked, it passed corpses strewn over the craggy stone, some in golden armor and some with blue skin, all of them slowly icing over in the forbidding weather._

_The figure arrived at a natural courtyard between mountain peaks, a sheer cliff on one end and the entrance to the Jotun stronghold on the other. In the middle of the yard was a square block of stone. The figure approached the stone and twitched aside its cloak to reveal an infant wrapped in rough swaddling. Its skin was blue and ridged with Jotun clan markings, its eyes red as rubies. The figure placed the squirming child on the stone and leaned over it, reaching up to lower its hood._

_Darcy stared down at the child while the wind pulled at her brown hair, lashing it across her face. She rested a finger against the baby’s forehead and spoke in a soft voice, barely audible over the howl of the wind._

_“So it begins.”_


	11. There's Always Time For Second Guesses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story has now passed 60k words. Which I guess makes it officially novel length. Sweet. 
> 
> You guys did know you signed up for slow burn, right? Cause this is like, the slowest.
> 
> Alas, poor Darcy. You have really been put through the wringer these last few chapters. Don't worry, it gets worse.

Darcy had spent five days drifting between Earth and Asgard, hopped up on painkillers, and she had about had enough. The two worlds were starting to blur together and she was having a hard time telling them apart. So when she found herself once more in Loki’s cell, she sat up, untangled herself from the fur blanket, and crossed her arms.

 

“Is there a way to control pain without taking medication?” she demanded.

 

Loki had been pacing around his cell, holding two short staffs, one in each hand. They were elaborately carved and ringed with silver every few inches or so. Each one was the length from his fingertips to his elbow, and had been stained a deep red color. He stopped pacing to look with her.

 

“Yes,” he replied after a moment. “But it takes years of discipline to master.”

 

“Show me,” she ordered, squaring her shoulders.

 

He raised his eyebrows at her. “And what do I get in return?” he asked archly.

 

Darcy clenched her teeth. “I will reinstate our bargain,” she said reluctantly. “I’ll get you out of this cell. Just show me how to get a handle on my pain so I can stop taking the damn pills. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

 

“You seemed quite sure you wanted nothing to do with me before,” he pointed out. “What has changed your mind?”

 

“Trust me, I would not come to you if I had any other choice, but literally everyone is telling me that I’ve got to do this myself and to suck it up,” Darcy complained. “And you’re fucking giving me whiplash, so I don’t even know if I want _you_ to help me.” She lifted her chin. “So fucking decide if you want to help me or get the fuck out of my way.”

 

Loki stared at her for several seconds. “Your attempts at intimidation are commendable,” he finally said. “But not, unfortunately, effective. You have threatened me too many times already for me to fear you have any intention of harming me.”

 

Darcy narrowed her eyes at him. “Is that a yes, or a no?”

 

Loki walked over and placed the staves on his desk, next to the ivory bracelet. Then he walked over to the open area of his cell and sat down on the floor, crossing his legs underneath him. He stared at Darcy challengingly. She got up and crossed over to him, sitting down with difficulty and a grimace of pain.

 

“Imagine an endless darkness,” Loki instructed, holding her gaze. “Completely void. Empty of even your body. Your mind exists only in abstract, adrift, anchorless.”

 

Darcy wrinkled her nose and stared back at him. “I asked for a coping mechanism, not a meditation lesson.”

 

“I told you it took years of discipline,” Loki told her. “That is what I’m offering you: discipline.”

 

“Fine,” Darcy huffed, and closed her eyes. “Darkness. Got it.”

 

“Let yourself become the darkness. It is neither good nor evil. It merely exists. It encompasses all things.”

 

Darcy’s brow wrinkled as she concentrated, her breathing deepening unconsciously. She pictured the darkness that lurked in the corners of the norn’s Hall, the darkness between the stars visible from the Bifrost, the darkness of sleep without dreams.

 

“Release your hold on your body. Surrender to the darkness. Become one with it.”

 

Loki’s voice was steady, a guide to pull her deeper into her trance. She measured the space between her breaths, timed them to her heartbeat, listened to the rush of air in and out of her damaged lungs. Gradually she felt her body growing heavier as she herself grew lighter, ready to float away.

 

“Now imagine a fire. Imagine the wood it burns. See the color of the flames. Feel the heat. You can hear the crackle, and smell the smoke. Make it real.”

 

Darcy faltered and almost slipped out of her trance, wavering between warring images of flames in her head. She finally settled on one and shaped it in her mind, painting it into existence.

 

“Gather up your pain. Your discomfort. Your difficulty breathing. Hold them in your hands. Picture them. Choose a physical form. Coal, maybe, or paper. Anything that will burn.”

 

Darcy held out hands that no longer existed, cupping them around rough chunks of coal. She poured out her pain like oil until it dripped through her fingers, coating the coal.

 

“Now feed your pain to the fire. Let it be consumed. Watch it burn.”

 

The fire flared white and yellow when Darcy threw the coal into it, throwing a shower of orange sparks upward. It burned hot and bright in the darkness before settling back down to its original state.

 

“Open your eyes.”

 

Darcy obeyed the command without thinking. Loki was watching her face, his hands resting palm-up in her lap. “How do you feel?” he asked mildly.

 

She took an experimental breath. “It still hurts,” she complained.

 

“This is only your first lesson,” he admonished her. “You can’t expect to perfect it in a single night.”

 

“Well, I kinda need pain management _now_ ,” Darcy said irritably. “If you haven’t noticed, I have a bullet hole in my body.”

 

Loki shook his head at her. “For all you are an eternal creature, you have a shocking lack of patience,” he observed, and rose gracefully to his feet. He offered his hand to help her up. She glared at him for a moment before grabbing his wrist and letting him pull her to her feet.

 

“Wielding the seidr is takes a lifetime of dedication,” Loki told her, releasing his hold on her and walking past her, forcing her to turn to follow. “Though you should regain some of your memories along the way.” He walked over to the desk and picked up the ivory bracelet.

 

“Regain my memories?” she echoed.

 

“Of your past lives,” he replied easily, and turned to face her again. “You are already remembering, are you not?”

 

She frowned at him. “How’d you know?”

 

“Your eyes,” he said, his voice quieting. “They appear… older.” He held the bracelet out towards her. Darcy stared at him for a long moment, and then glanced at the bracelet, not saying anything. He shook it at her. “Take it,” he ordered.

 

“Why?” Darcy asked.

 

“It is a talisman,” he said. “A focus for your power. It will help you.”

 

“You’re giving it to me?” Darcy frowned harder. She’d seen how hard Loki had worked on the bracelet. Now he was just giving it away?

 

“Trust me, I have faith I will get my full return on it,” Loki said, losing his veneer of patience. “ _Take_ it.” Darcy reached out and took the bracelet. It was warm to her touch and hummed faintly with power. It was just as beautiful as the first time she had seen it, and when she slipped it on her wrist, it fit her perfectly.

 

“I will teach you to use it the next time you come here,” Loki said. “For now, you should rest. Even using a small amount of your seidr can exhaust you at this stage.”

 

“I feel fine,” Darcy protested. “And what the hell is seidr?”

 

“Your word for it would be ‘magic,’” Loki replied. “But that is an imperfect translation. Seidr is the very life energy of the universe. It is the force that created it and it will be the force that destroys it. It flows through your veins like blood, and if you choose,” he gave her a significant look. “You can use it to bring the Nine Realms to their knees.”

 

“I don’t want to bring anyone to their knees,” Darcy said, and then winced at the double entendre. “I just want to control my abilities,” she muttered, curling her fingers over the smooth hardness of her new bracelet.

 

“Control is overrated,” Loki said, giving her an almost manic grin. “What you truly want is _power_.”

 

Darcy decided that she had had enough of Loki for the moment, and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. As she reached within herself, she felt the bracelet’s hum grow stronger and higher in pitch. It was perfectly in synch with the hum of her power under her skin, complimenting it, strengthening it. With hardly any effort at all, Darcy opened her eyes to find herself curled up on her couch in DC, snuggled under a mound of blankets.

 

Joanna entered the living room from the kitchen, carrying a mug of hot soup and a plate of crackers. The painkillers took away most of Darcy’s appetite, despite all of Joanna’s efforts. “Here you go, honey,” she said, putting the food on the coffee table. Darcy eyed both objects darkly and wondered if Loki would give her the recipe for _kava_. At least that stuff didn’t give her nausea.

 

“Why are you still here?” Darcy asked her mother, blinking up at the other woman.

 

Joanna blinked at Darcy from behind her glasses. “I’m taking care of you,” she said.

 

Darcy wrinkled her nose. “It’s been five days, Mom, and it’s in the middle of the school year. Aren’t your students missing you?”

 

“They can survive with a substitute for a few more days,” Joanna said with a shrug. “You need me more.”

 

“I need to stop being coddled like a baby,” Darcy muttered, fighting her way out of her blankets. The bracelet slid down her arm, banging against her wrist bone. She stared at it for a moment. So if she was capable of carrying objects with her when she dreamwalked, what else could she do?

 

“That’s pretty,” Joanna commented, glancing at the bracelet. “Where’d you get it?”

 

“It was a gift,” Darcy replied, shoving her hand, and the bracelet, under the blanket again. “I’m not really hungry, Mom. I just want to take a shower.”

 

“Are you sure?” Joanna asked, concerned. “Maybe I should draw you a bath instead.”

 

“I’ll be _fine_ ,” Darcy insisted, getting laboriously to her feet, clutching the blanket around her like a cloak. “I can take a freakin’ shower by myself.”

 

“You know, the doctors didn’t even want to release you,” Joanna said, _again_. “They didn’t think you were ready.”

 

“I hate hospitals,” Darcy said firmly. “And I’m doing better. Better than they expected. I heard Dr McKenna say so.”

 

“You’ve always been a fast healer,” Joanna admitted. “But you were _shot_ , Darcy. You don’t just walk that off.”

 

Darcy sighed shallowly and started trudging toward the bathroom, choosing to end the discussion rather than draw it out. She stopped when the doorbell rang. Only Steve rang the doorbell. Agent Sitwell knocked, three times, sharp and even. Clint knocked, too, but to the beat of “Shave And a Haircut.” Natasha just picked the lock.

 

Joanna beat Darcy to the door. “Oh, hello Steve,” she greeted with a strained smile. Darcy had quickly informed her mother that she and Steve were just friends, thank you, and now Joanna had got it in her head that Steve planned to somehow take advantage of Darcy’s naiveté. It would probably all be solved by Darcy telling her mother who exactly Steve was, but Darcy was torn between amusement and not wanting her mother to know just how deep her involvement in SHIELD had gotten lately.

 

“Hello, Mrs Lewis,” Steve said. He’d picked up on Mrs Lewis’ mistrust almost immediately and was not nearly as amused as Darcy. “Is Darcy awake?”

 

“Yes,” Darcy called, shuffling forward, still wrapped in her blanket. “Yo. What’s up?”

 

“I just wanted to talk to you about a couple of… work things,” Steve said, his face and voice emotionless.

 

“Sure,” Darcy said, and scooched past her mother into the hallway, closing the door. “What’s going on?” she asked.

 

“We tracked down the operations base for the mercenaries that attacked us,” Steve told her in a low voice, in case Joanna was listening through the door--which she probably was. “We’re heading out in a few hours.”

 

“We?” Darcy asked, raising her eyebrows.

 

“Me, Barton, Natasha, and the STRIKE team,” Steve told her.

 

“Did the prisoners tell you why they attacked us?” Darcy pressed. “Or who hired them?”

 

“It was a blind hire,” Steve replied. “No actual contact. We’re hoping to find a more concrete lead at their base.”

 

Darcy nodded. “Thanks for telling me. Be careful, okay?”

 

He snorted. “I’ll be fine. I just wanted to stop by and make sure you weren’t going to dreamwalk into the middle of my mission.”

 

Darcy held up two fingers. “I swear I will do my best not to dreamwalk into the middle of your mission,” she said dutifully. “No promises, tho. I’ll be thinking about you, and you know how dreams work.”

 

“Fine, if you do, just find cover and stay there, okay?” Steve said impatiently. “The last thing I need is you getting shot _again_.”

 

“Hey, I got shot by the Chitauri and walked away from it,” Darcy pointed out. “I think I may actually be invincible when I dreamwalk.”

 

“Let’s not test that,” Steve said firmly. “Anyway, get some rest. I’ll text you when we get back.”

 

Darcy reached out impulsively to hug him. “Thanks, Steve,” she said as she stepped back. “Watch yourself.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” he assured her again, and turned to head towards his apartment. Darcy retreated back into her own apartment, where her mother was waiting.

 

“What was that about?” she asked innocently.

 

“Work stuff,” Darcy replied shortly. “Classified. I’m taking a shower.”

 

Getting shot was a lot cooler in the movies. The hero would slap a bandage over the bullet hole that conveniently missed all major organs, and dive right back into the fire fight or car chase, hardly missing a beat. In reality, Darcy’s whole body ached, her ribs ached, it hurt to breathe, and the painkillers made her throw up and randomly fall asleep.

 

She peeled the bandages away from the wounds and inspected them with a morbid curiosity. The stitches were the dissolvable kind, and would not need to be removed. They stood out in stark black lines against her pale skin, the edges of the wounds red and angry.

 

She discovered, halfway through her shower, that she was no longer strong enough to stand, and had to finish while sitting in the tub, back arched against the warm spray and water pouring down her face. After she turned off the water and dragged her towel off the rack, she still couldn’t get back to her feet. She wrapped the towel around her shoulders and weakly called for her mother, eyes stinging at the embarrassment.

 

Joanna opened the bathroom door and saw Darcy sitting hunched over in the tub, crying in frustration. She grabbed a second towel and knelt beside the tub. “Lean your head back,” she instructed. When Darcy obeyed, Joanna carefully dried Darcy’s long hair and twisted it up in the towel. Then she hooked her arms underneath Darcy’s and lifted her to her feet.

 

Joanna was shorter than Darcy, and rounder, but she had raised four children, three of them rambunctious boys a foot taller than her, and she was stronger than she looked. She got Darcy out of the tub and seated her on the toilet. “I’ll get you some clothes and be right back,” she told Darcy. There was no condescension in her voice, no “I told you so’s.” Just calm, simple facts.

 

When she returned a moment later with Darcy’s favorite sweatshirt and pajama pants, Darcy’s tears had stopped and she allowed her mother to help dress her. Then Joanna helped Darcy into her own bed. “Do you want some tea?” Joanna asked, handing over Darcy’s pain medication.

 

“No,” Darcy mumbled. “I just want to sleep.”

 

“Okay. Goodnight, sweetheart.” Joanna turned to leave.

 

“Mom,” Darcy called softly. Joanna turned back. “I’m glad you’re here,” Darcy admitted. Joanna smiled at her.

 

“I love you, Darcy.”

 

“Love you too, Mom.”

 

Darcy was almost relieved to find she was not in Loki’s cell. As considerate as he had been the last few days (which in and of itself was a bit creepy) she was kind of tired of being around him for the moment. She had to be always on her guard, and it was exhausting when she was injured and almost drugged out of her mind.

 

She was on the terrace outside of Frigga’s sitting room, laying on a bench and still wrapped up in one of her blankets. She ogled the blanket for a moment. She really needed to start experimenting with this new ability. If she could bring things back from Asgard, that would change the ball game.

 

She heard voices coming from inside the palace and Darcy snuggled deeper into her blanket, hoping whoever it was would not come outside and see her. She was still wearing her Wonder Woman sweatshirt and her hair had dried kinky and frizzy. She was in no condition to be seen by a member of the Asgardian royal court.

 

To her dismay, she heard footsteps heading in her direction and she closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up, to leave. The bracelet hummed against her skin and she felt herself sliding back towards Earth when a familiar voice stopped her.

 

“Hello, child. Won’t you come and join us?”

 

Darcy opened her eyes to see Frigga standing in front of her, wearing a simple yellow shift under a blue robe. Her golden hair was loose around her shoulders and Darcy could tell she wasn’t wearing any makeup.

 

“Us?” Darcy asked reluctantly.

 

Frigga gestured toward the door leading inside. “Yes. One of your sisters. I believe you’ve already met her.”

 

Darcy hesitated a moment longer. She _hoped_ it was Embla, but with her luck it was probably Urd. Still, a bitchy norn was better than no norn, and maybe Darcy could get her to reveal more of these “plans” of hers. So she got up from the bench, blanket and all, and shuffled after Frigga into the sitting room.

 

In the center of the room a low table was surrounded by even lower couches, set with an array of breakfast foods. A woman sat on the couch facing the terrace. For a split second Darcy didn’t recognize her, and then the knowledge blossomed in her mind, as if it had always been there.

 

The other norn had hair the color of steel and was bound up in complicated braids culminating in a smooth knot at the back of her neck. Her skin was smooth and untouched by wrinkles, but there was a weight of age in her brown eyes. She wore a simple white gown under a pale green robe, and she smiled at Darcy when she approached.

 

“Hello, Sigyn,” the other norn greeted. “It pleases me greatly to see you. Your injury concerned us all.”

 

“Hello, Skuld,” Darcy greeted politely, inclining her head respectfully. Skuld was the Eldest of the Eldest, the oldest living creature in the universe. She was the First Norn, both mother and sister to the remaining eight. It was she who watered the World Tree when it was nothing more than a sapling, caring for it until it could bear the weight of the Nine Realms.

 

Skuld rose gracefully to her seat and crossed over to take Darcy’s elbow through the blanket, helping her over to the couches and lowering her gently into her seat. “May I pour you a cup of tea?” Skuld asked graciously, already moving to do so.

 

“Thank you,” Darcy said politely, letting the blanket fall to her waist in order to take the cup. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

 

“I have not often ventured from the Hall of Stars these past few centuries,” Skuld admitted. “But with the upheaval in the Nine Realms, I felt it my duty to offer what counsel I can.”

 

“And Skuld is welcome here not just as an advisor, but as a friend,” Frigga added. Darcy nodded and sipped her tea. It was fragrant and flowery, and it settled her roiling stomach. “I am glad to see you, as well,” Frigga went on. “When we heard about your injury, we were all concerned for you.”

 

Darcy frowned. “How did you hear about it?” she asked. The only place she’d dreamwalked since getting shot was Loki’s cell, and he wasn’t supposed to have any visitors.

 

“Heimdall told us,” Frigga explained. “He keeps watch over you, while you are on Midgard. Did you not know this?”

 

“I knew that,” Darcy said, taking a relieved breath. “Yeah. But I’m doing fine. I heal fast.”

 

“The seidr flows strong through your bones,” Skuld explained. “It wants to sustain you, protect you.”

 

Darcy tightened her fingers around the ceramic cup in her hand. “I’m learning new things every day,” she said stiffly.

 

Skuld’s eyes were steady, unwavering from Darcy’s face. “Yes, you are,” she said thoughtfully. She turned back to Frigga. “Your son grows closer to his destiny.”

 

“Yes, Thor becomes more like a king with each battle he wins,” Frigga said softly, but proudly. “All the Realms see he is ready for the throne.”

 

“I do not speak of Thor,” Skuld said flatly, and Frigga started, just noticeably. Darcy perked up, keeping her emotions off her face.

 

Frigga looked down at her hands folded in her lap. “I… I have no other son,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper, catching over the words.

 

Skuld scoffed. “That is what your fool of a boy has told you. He is young, and angry. It will pass. His destiny fast approaches. You must be ready for it.”

 

Frigga looked up, her brow furrowed in concern. “It is true then, what the disír spoke of, when he was a child.”

 

“The disír speak with the authority of the Sisterhood,” Skuld replied, lifting her cup to her lips. “What they foretell will come to pass.”

 

“What are we talking about?” Darcy interrupted, looking between the two women. “What destiny? And who are the disír?”

 

Skuld glanced at her sidelong. “Oh, to be so young again, and so innocent. It is a blessing to be able to see the universe with fresh eyes, my dear sister. Enjoy it while you can.”

 

“I would rather people give me straight answers for once,” Darcy retorted, setting her teacup down with a clank. “What destiny is Loki supposed to have?”

 

“You should know, sister,” Skuld said mildly. “After all, you were the one who spoke the prophecy at his birth.”

 

Darcy’s mouth fell open. “I… what?” she asked dumbly. “I did _what_?”

 

“Yours were the first hands to hold him, and you bore him away from the ones who would have slain him for being a misbirth.” Skuld sipped at her tea, uncaring of both Darcy and Frigga’s shock. “And it was you who took him to such a place that the Allfather would find him.” Skuld gave Darcy a level stare. “He owes his life to you, in more ways than one.”

 

Darcy tore her eyes away from Skuld to look at Frigga, who was pale and leaned against the back of the couch, her hands clutched together in her lap. “I didn’t know,” Darcy whispered. “I had no--holy crap. I didn’t know.”

 

Skuld sniffed. “There are many things that will return to you in time, Sigyn. I only hope your vessel is strong enough to contain all of it, or else you will have to find a new one.”

 

Darcy didn’t think she could handle another revelation like the first one. “New… vessel?” she echoed.

 

Skuld nodded. “We are eternal, but our bodies are not. They grow old and die, as is the fate of all living things. We find a new vessel, and we live on.” She sniffed again. “I suggest against taking a human vessel next time, dearest one.”

 

Darcy buried her face in her hands, her brain hurting. She took several deep, calming breaths but they did nothing to calm her racing mind. A light touch on her her arm made her jerk away, head snapping back up.

 

Frigga withdrew her hand, her face still pale. “I thank you,” she said in a low voice. “I owe you  much, more than I knew. You brought my son to me.”

 

“I had no idea,” Darcy said quickly. She didn’t know how she felt about this, but it seemed like her dream had come true. Did this mean that her other dream was true as well? Had she attacked Loki with the intent to enslave his will? The thought made her stomach heave and she had to fight to keep from throwing up. She suddenly shoved her couch violently backwards.

 

“I didn’t want any of this!” she yelled at Skuld. “I didn’t ask for this! Why did it have to be _me_?” Before Skuld could reply, Darcy lurched to her feet and retreated back to the terrace as quickly as she could manage. She was out of breath by the time she reached the bench and had to sink down onto it with rouch gasps for air. She sat with her hands braced along the edge of the bench, chin to her chest.

 

After a few minutes she heard footsteps approaching again, and she looked up. Skuld stood a few paces away, her hands tucked in the opposite sleeve. She gazed at Darcy with an almost sad expression, but said nothing for a long time.

 

“Can you take the norn away from me?” Darcy asked desperately. “I don’t want to be this person. I don’t want to be Sigyn.”

 

Skuld sighed deeply. “Oh, my dear sister. You always were the most passionate of us.” She came over to sit next to Darcy, raising a hand to stroke Darcy’s dark hair. “You have so much light, so much life. You are bursting with it. But you are young in this vessel, and your power is new to you. In time, you will come to accept it. In time.”

 

“But I don’t _want_ it,” Darcy said brokenly, fighting back tears. “I just want to be normal. I want to be _Darcy_.”

 

Skuld took Darcy’s face in her hands, cradling Darcy’s cheeks. “You _are_ Darcy,” she told the younger woman intensely. “You are her just as much as you are Sigyn. Darcy is the person you have created for this lifetime and she will shape you just as the norn will shape you. And the day will come when you will have a choice, to lay aside the norn or to take it up. But that day is not today, and until then you have work to do.”

 

Skuld used her thumbs to wipe tears away from Darcy’s eyes. “Oh, my sweet sister,” she murmured. “I would take this pain from you. But you must endure it, and grow stronger for it.” She leaned forward and kissed Darcy’s forehead. “But if you ever have need of me, dear Sigyn, only call for me, and I will come to you.”

 

Darcy sniffed loudly and summoned a watery smile for Skuld. The connection she felt with this woman was strong, a tangible thing, like the love she held for her mother and the love she had for Jane all at the same time. “Can you teach me to use my powers?” she asked dryly, already knowing what the answer would be.

 

Skuld raised her eyebrows. “That is a journey you must take yourself,” she said in a tone that indicated she knew Darcy knew. “We all take this journey alone, even me.” She released her hold on Darcy’s face and took Darcy’s hands in hers. “I know it is not the answer that you seek, Sigyn, but have patience. It will come in time.”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said, her throat raw. “Thanks anyway.” She sighed and drew her blanket tight around her shoulders. “Skuld?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“What plans does Urd have for me?”

 

Skuld blinked a couple of times. “Oh.Urd always has plans, for all the norns. I would think nothing of it. Whether or not you abide by them is your choice, of course.”

 

“Right,” Darcy said, not satisfied by that answer. “I’m so tired,” she said at length. “I just want to sleep.”

 

Skuld turned Darcy’s hand over, palm-up, and tapped the ivory bracelet with one finger. “This will let you sleep,” she said. “If you know how to use it.”

 

“Will you show me?” Darcy asked without much hope.

 

“Ask the one who gave it to you,” Skuld replied. “It seems you rely on his counsel.”

 

Darcy flushed and gently extracted her hands from Skuld’s grip. “I should get back,” she said, struggling to her feet.

 

“Save your strength,” Skuld replied. “Rest here a while. Or go to see your friend. I have a feeling he benefits from your presence.”

 

Darcy flushed even darker, angry at her secret being found out. “I can barely walk,” she muttered. “I can’t make it all the way to the dungeons.”

 

“Allow me, then,” Skuld said, and took hold of Darcy’s wrist. The world abruptly switched off, and then on again, and they were standing in the Hall of Stars. Before Darcy could react, the world switched off a second time, and then she was in Loki’s cell, sitting on his empty bed.

 

He looked up from the book he was reading, his back to one of the pillars and his long legs stretched out in front of him. “Oh,” he said uncaringly. “Hello. Back again so soon?”

 

Darcy scowled at him and held out her right arm, the one the bracelet dangled from. “You’re supposed to show me how this can stop me from dreamwalking,” she said darkly.

 

Loki closed his book. “Am I?” he challenged, raising an eyebrow. “That is not what I had planned on teaching you next.”

 

“Well, it’s what _I_ want to know next, and apparently I saved your naked blue butt when you were a baby, so tough shit.”

 

Loki tensed, his eyes getting hard and glittery. “ _What_ did you just say?” he demanded in a low voice.

 

“I saved your life when you were a baby,” Darcy repeated impatiently. “Or _Sigyn_ did, at least. Let’s just say Odin didn’t find you by accident.”

 

Loki curled his hands into fists. His jaw clenched as he inhaled sharply, nostrils flaring. He stared at Darcy for several long, silent minutes. She stared belligerently back.

 

“You would have done your world a favor if you hadn’t, I think,” Loki finally said in a low, tight voice. “Odin may no longer thank you for your service.”

 

“Odin can go to hell,” Darcy snapped. She was too tired and in too much pain to be civil. “No baby deserves to be left out to die on a frozen mountainside, no matter how much of an asshole they grow up to be. So the Frost Giants can go to hell, too.”

 

Loki blinked at her, his demeanor abruptly relaxing, and he raised his eyebrows at her. “My debt to you is rapidly increasing, and not in my favor,” he said, getting to his feet. “We must rectify that soon.”

  
“Trust me, I have some ideas,” Darcy said darkly. She shook the bracelet at him. “Now show me how this thing works.”


	12. There's A Million Ways This Could Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, despite having no Darcy/Loki interactions, this was an extremely difficult chapter to write. I got writer's block, started it seven times, and deleted it seven times. Thanks to Bea, however, I managed to mash my keyboard enough times to get this out, so win, I guess.
> 
> With this chapter we have finished the first arc of the story, and are ready to move on to the second. Yay! There will be a total of three major story arcs in this fic, so that gives you an idea as to where we are.
> 
> Feel free to comment even if you've already commented or left kudos. I am a major league attention whore and every comment feeds my muse. Please don't let my muse starve :-(

Darcy decided that if she was going to go through the trouble of being shot, she was going to take full advantage of the fact, including wearing sweatpants to work. She had been told at least three times so far that she wasn’t even supposed to be at work, but she was really good at ignoring people. Also, she was going crazy being cooped up in the apartment and was ready to get out, even if it meant organizing the Tesseract spectrometer readings into a scatter graph.

Jane had somehow managed to requisition a couch for the lab and, after failing to convince Darcy to go home, had installed her assistant on said couch with a pile of blankets and cushions, a cup of tea, and her laptop. She’d also wrangled at promise from Darcy that Darcy would only stay for a half-day. As that was about the amount of time that Darcy could now control her pain without painkillers, she’d quickly agreed.

It had now been seven days since she’d been released from the hospital and Darcy still could not walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath. But that’s what elevators were for. The stitches were gone and the bullet holes had closed into red, angry knots of scar tissue on either side of her ribcage. She really didn’t mind the scars. At least it would be one heck of a story.

Darcy was wondering if she could somehow convince Jane to make her another cup of tea or if she was going to have to walk all the way over to the electric kettle herself when the door to the lab clicked and swung open. Clint slunk into the lab, wearing dirty, tan-colored tactical gear, his bow and quiver still strapped to his back.

Jane and Darcy both stared as he kicked the door shut and looked around. He caught sight of Darcy on the couch and trudged across to her, unstrapping his quiver as he came. “Shove over,” he muttered. When she obliged, he dropped down next to her, slouching down and leaning his head against the back of the couch.

“Oh, you _smell_ ,” Darcy protested, waving her hand in front of her nose.

“You try spending sixteen hours on a hot roof in the African sun and not smell,” he retorted, closing his eyes. “You’re not even supposed to be here, so shut up.”

“How’d it go?” Darcy asked, scooting further away from him. She was going to need to febreeze the couch if they wanted to use it again in the future.

“Like shit,” Clint said bluntly. “We arrested over a dozen mercenaries and still got jack squat on who hired them.”

“Did you get any computers?” Jane asked, sliding her office chair closer. “Can’t you, I don’t know, track them?”

“They were paid by an anonymous account owned by a shell company run by a proxy corporation,” Clint told them without opening his eyes.

“So… squat,” Darcy said, nodding.

Clint opened one eye and squinted at her. “Sorry, Darce. Would’ve liked to have been able to give you some answers.”

She sighed. “No, I get it. It’s whatever. Thanks for trying. Where’s Natasha and Steve?”

“Debriefing,” Clint grunted.

Darcy raised her eyebrows. “And you got out of it how?”

“Told ‘em I had a concussion and I was going to medical,” Clint replied, settling further into the couch.

“ _Do_ you have a concussion?” Jane demanded. “Because I’m not that kind of doctor.”

“Probably a little,” Clint admitted. “But I’ve hit my head plenty harder lots of other times.”

“You know it only takes one time, right?” Darcy asked.

Clint shrugged. “Hasn’t killed me so far.”

“Way to live on the edge,” Darcy said dryly. She grabbed her mug and untangled from her blankets before setting off for the other side of the lab, intent on making a second cup of tea. By the time she got back to the couch, Clint was snoring quietly.

Jane and Darcy exchanged looks. “Do we just leave him there?” Jane whispered.

“Well, he’s not hurting anything,” Darcy replied with a shrug. “I figure Steve or Natasha will come looking for him eventually. Remind me to find a bottle of febreeze, though. He is _ripe_.”

Darcy relinquished the couch to Clint, mostly because of the assault on her olfactory senses, and moved her work to her desk. True to her prediction, Natasha arrived around noon. She immediately saw Clint passed out on the couch and shook her head, lips pressed tight together.

“I should have figured he was lying,” she said, mostly to herself. “He never volunteers to go to medical.”

“We’ve been throwing things at him every two hours to make sure he doesn’t have a brain bleed,” Jane offered.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Better than nothing, I suppose. Did he give you the mission report?”

“Yeah,” Darcy replied, closing her laptop. “Sucks. Sorry you guys wasted a trip.”

“It wasn’t a waste,” Natasha corrected her. “We took out a mercenary unit with warrants out of a dozen countries and got intel on several jobs they’ve done over the last few years. Not what we were looking for, but it’s not nothing, either.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Darcy said, perking up.

“You’re going home, now, right?” Jane asked, giving Darcy a hard look.

“Yes, mother, I am,” Darcy replied longsufferingly.

Natasha glanced over at Clint again. “Jane, can I leave Clint here if I take Darcy home?” she asked.

“Sure,” Jane agreed instantly. “Any time you want me to roust him?”

“Kick him to the shower room in about four hours,” Natasha instructed. “He’s got a few personal days he needs to get rid of, so make sure he leaves the building. Darcy, grab your coat. I’ll give you a ride.”

“You still have the Corvette?” Darcy asked hopefully, shrugging into her jacket.

“Exchanged it for a Cobra,” Natasha told her. “Just wait until you see it. You’ll love it.”

“Ooh, nice!” Darcy said excitedly, trying to shove her laptop into her bag. Jane grabbed the computer at the last second.

“This stays here,” she said sternly. “No working from home for you.”

“But, _Jaaaane_ ,” Darcy whined.

“You have your Stark pad,” Jane reminded her. “You need to rest now.”

“But I’ll get bored,” Darcy protested.

“How can you be bored? You still have seven season of The X-Files.”

Darcy glowered at Jane but didn’t press the issue. “Fine. But I’m coming in again tomorrow, and I’m staying the full day.”

“We’ll see,” Jane said ominously. “Natasha, you’d better get her out of here before she decides to mutiny.”

“We’re gone,” Natasha said, grabbing Darcy’s elbow.

XxxXxxX

Frigga’s sitting room was starting to become a second “safe zone,” along with the Bifrost, given how often Darcy ended up there. She’d taken a painkiller under Natasha’s baleful eye, followed by another cup of tea, and Darcy had fallen asleep on the couch, only to wake up in the palace on Asgard.

Darcy blinked her eyes open, looking around. She was on the terrace, and it was night on Asgard, the city lit up with a thousand lights. She had no idea what time it was here. She wished that the Asgardians had more clocks or something.

Darcy heard female voices coming from inside, and then a burst of laughter. Hurried footsteps ran in her direction and then Embla burst onto the terrace. “Sigyn!” she called excitedly. “You are here, finally! Oh, we’ve been waiting for you!”

“You have?” Darcy asked bemusedly. Embla caught hold of Darcy’s hand and dragged her to her feet.

“Come _on_ ,” the other norn said, pulling Darcy along. “Everyone was so happy you were coming.”

“Who is everyone?” Darcy demanded. “And how did they know I was coming?”

“We are _norns_ , my dear!” Embla replied laughingly. “Of course we know.”

Darcy allowed Embla to drag her into Frigga’s sitting room, but she took the opportunity to look the other norn up and down. Embla’s pale hair was still braided in two plaits with blood-red ribbons, and she was wearing the now-familiar white gown that seemed popular among the norns. Over that she wore a well-tailored long coat in a deep maroon color.

 _I really should ask who their fashion designer is,_ Darcy thought to herself.

“Everyone” turned out to be Skuld, Frigga, and three women Darcy didn’t recognize. It took Darcy a moment to realize that the three strangers were identical in every way. Their hair was the exact same shade of golden wheat, their eyes matching shades of blue. They even had the same dusting of freckles over their milk-pale skin.

“Sigyn,” Skuld greeted with a gentle smile. “You are looking much better than you did at our last meeting. You are healing well, I trust?”

“As good as can be expected,” Darcy replied, returning Skuld’s smile. It was so easy to like her. She exuded kindness and trustworthiness. Skuld took hold of Darcy’s hands and kissed her on each cheek. Frigga came to greet Darcy next, patting her hand fondly.

“You look much better rested, as well,” Frigga told her. “I am so happy to see you doing well.”

“Thank you,” Darcy said sincerely.

The three strange women stepped forward together, reaching out with delicate hands to touch Darcy’s arm, her shoulder, and her hair. “Welcome, Lady Sigyn,” said the one on the left. “We have missed you,” said the one on the right. “We have all missed you,” said the one in the middle.

Darcy blinked in surprise and had to restrain herself from pulling away. She didn’t feel threatened by the women, just a little creeped out. They even had identical voices.

“You remember the disír, do you not, sister?” Skuld prompted gently.

 _Disír_. The knowledge slotted itself in place in Darcy’s brain. “Of course,” she said quickly. “How could I forget? Thank you for your concern, Ladies Dis.” The disír bowed and withdrew to allow Frigga to escort Darcy to the low table in the middle of the room.

“Join us,” Frigga invited. “Thor will depart in the morning with the Einherjar to Rhia, and we gathered to discuss strategy for defending against the outlaws.”

Darcy looked around the circle of women. “Strategy?” she echoed. She gestured around the room. “Us?”

“Why not us?” Embla asked, tilting her head and giving Darcy a wide-eyed look. She appeared incredibly young, younger even than Darcy, barely out of her teenage years. “Do we not have insight to outmatch even the Allfather’s resources?”

“Do we?” Darcy asked, looking over at Skuld. The elder norn nodded gravely.

“Even so,” Skuld confirmed. She glanced toward the door. “Thor is here.”

As soon as she had spoken, the door swung open and Thor strode through. He was wearing his full armor, cape rippling along behind him, but he wasn’t carrying his hammer. He looked around the circle of women quickly and saw Darcy. His face lit up in a wide grin.

“Darcy!” he boomed. “Lightning-sister! Well met! I did not expect to see you at this meeting.”

“I just crashed the party,” she admitted as he made his way over to her. “Good to see you, too, big guy.”

Thor settled his hands on her shoulders and examined her closely. “Heimdall told us you were wounded. Are you well?”

“I’m getting there,” she assured him. “Us humans take a little longer to heal.”

Thor grinned at her again and squeezed his shoulder. Then he turned to Frigga, taking her hand and kissing her cheek. “Mother,” he greeted. He turned to bow to the others. “Ladies Norn, Ladies Dis, welcome to Asgard. Thank you for sharing your counsel with us.”

“We are happy to assist you to bring peace to the Realms once more,” Skuld said, returning his bow with a regal nod. “Now come, the night is late and you have an early morning. Let us confer.”

Darcy got lost in the conversation about ten minutes in. Frigga called up a holographic map that they stood around, pointing and discussing various strategic values of different locations. Darcy noticed that Embla, too, rarely spoke, but rather watched and listened with the air of an eager student. Skuld and Frigga carried most of the conversation with Thor, the disír offering their two cents worth every once in awhile.

Darcy kept sneaking glances at the disír. There were twenty-seven of them, she remembered, each one indistinguishable from the rest. They never traveled in groups less than three, and they shared souls in the same way they shared a mind. The norns used them as handmaidens, messengers, and servants. What one dis knew, all the disír knew, making them a valuable method of communication between traveling norns.

The last time Darcy had spoke to Frigga, the queen had said the disír had spoken prophecy over Loki, prophecy that Skuld claimed would soon come to pass. If Darcy could just get the disír alone, maybe she could find out what the prophecy was. Because Darcy sure as hell didn’t remember it, despite what Skuld claimed, that it was originally Darcy’s own prophecy.

Darcy didn’t realize the meeting was winding down until Thor’s hand came to rest heavy on her shoulder again. “Darcy, my friend,” he said in a low voice. “May I speak with you?”

She frowned up at him. “Sure. About what?”

Thor gestured toward the terrace. “Come. Let us walk.” Darcy followed him onto the terrace, out of earshot of the other women. “Heimdall tells me you visit the dungeons often,” Thor said gravely.

Darcy crossed her arms over her chest with a sigh. Oh, boy. “Yeah,” she said flatly. “I do.”

“Why do you visit Loki?” Thor demanded bluntly. “Surely you know the Allfather has refused him visitors.”

Darcy lifted her chin. “I don’t take orders from the Allfather,” she replied firmly. “And no one else is visiting him. I might as well.”

“There is a reason he is forbidden visitors, Darcy,” Thor said. He didn’t intend to loom over her, she knew, but he was really fricken’ tall, and cut as hell, which meant Darcy felt tiny and insignificant next to him. She didn’t like that feeling. She drifted away from him and walked over to the railing, leaning against it.

“I know, I know,” she replied testily. “He lies and manipulates. He’s a trickster, a liesmith, and the father of monsters.”

“ _What_ did you call him?” Thor suddenly demanded, coming to stand next to her.

Darcy craned her neck to look up at him. “I said he’s a--”

“Where did you hear those words?” Thor interrupted. “Did the disír tell you that?”

Darcy blinked. “No…” she said slowly. She didn’t know where the words had come from, they had just felt right. “Thor, what are you talking about? You’re freaking me out.”

Thor frowned and looked away. “I beg your pardon,” he said. “I forget you are a norn. Of course you would have heard those words.”

Darcy reached out and grabbed a fistful of his red cape. She tugged hard, scowling in annoyance. “What are you talking about? Explain. Now.”

“When Loki was a child, no more than a babe, the disír came and spoke over him,” Thor explained. “They told us they spoke the words of the norns. They called him the Trickster, the Liesmith, and the Father of Monsters. My father was deeply disturbed, and forbade us to ever speak of it again.”

Darcy let his cape drop from numb fingers. Those had been _her_ words, spoken as she held a Jotun infant, kneeling on a frozen mountainside while her lagsmaðr defended her against the royal guard who would destroy the child. Darcy could _see_ the weak movements of the child, _feel_ the bite of the wind, _smell_ the bitterness of blood on the sharp, winter air.

“There was more,” Darcy said, voice empty of emotion. “There were more words.”

“Darcy?” Thor asked, leaning towards her. “What do you mean?”

“Loki will be the Trickster, the Liesmith, the Father of Monsters,” Darcy repeated tonelessly. “But he will also be Silvertongue, the Negotiator, and the Raven-born.” She took a deep breath. “He will bring Ragnarok.”

Thor grabbed Darcy’s shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. “Darcy!” he said sharply. “Can you understand me?”

She gasped and shuddered as she came back to herself. “What the hell was that?” she demanded, staring up at him in shock and fear.

“You were in a trance,” Thor told her solemnly. “You were speaking words of fate.”

Darcy pulled free from his grasp and clutched at her forehead. “Holy shit. That was… that was totally weird and _not_ cool. I felt--I felt like I was out of my body. And what the fuck was I saying?”

“You said--” Thor began obediently, but Darcy cut him off.

“I know what I _said_ , but what the hell did I _mean_?”

“I don’t know,” Thor admitted. “But you spoke of Loki, which troubles me no small amount.”

She blinked at him. “Why?”

“Because it tells me that Loki’s fate is not done, and that he is not doomed to remain in that cell forever,” Thor replied. “And while I cannot say my heart is not happy to hear it, I am apprehensive to see what more mischief Loki can get up to.”

Darcy felt herself grow cold and hot at the same time. Did Thor suspect her? Did he know of her bargain with Loki? He couldn’t possibly, or he would have mentioned it. Thor was not one to keep secrets. He was too straight-forward for that, too single-minded.

Darcy scrubbed her hands over her face. “I… I have to go. I need to get my head together. I’m sorry, Thor, but I really need to… go.” She turned away, shaking her bracelet out of her sleeve, when Thor’s hand close around her arm.

“Darcy, my friend, I am sorry if my words disturbed you. It was not my intent.”

Darcy looked up at him. “I know, Thor. I know. I just… I’m sorry. I just need time to think.”

Thor released her arm and bowed slightly. “Again, I am sorry, my friend. I hope our next meeting has a lighter tone.”

Darcy smiled weakly. “Good luck on Rhia. Hope everything works out for you.” She didn’t wait to hear his reply. She just fled.

She woke up tangled in a blanket on the couch in her apartment. She could hear Jane in the kitchen and Darcy tried to get to her feet. Instead, she tripped over the blanket and fell headlong on the floor, narrowly missing the coffee table. A jolt of pain stabbed through her ribcage.

“Mother _fucker_ ,” Darcy spat, struggling with the blanket. Light footsteps approached her and Jane’s face appeared over the back of the couch.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“No!” Darcy burst out. “I’m _not_ okay! I’m fucking sick of being _okay_ ! I’m _done_ ! I have had enough!” Tears spilled over her eyelashes and her breath hitched in her throat. “I don’t want to do this anymore! I just want it to _stop_.”

Jane circled the couch and plopped down on the floor next to Darcy, enfolding the younger woman in her arms as Darcy broke down and cried. Darcy clung to Jane as if her life depended on it, shaking from the force of her sobs. Jane didn’t ask what was wrong, or why Darcy was crying; she just held Darcy and stroked her hair.

Darcy lost her breath rather quickly, her tears running out shortly after. Jane wiped Darcy’s face with the blanket, her expression determined.

“Okay,” Jane said. “You are going to pack a suitcase, and I’m going to call SHIELD and requisition a car.”

Darcy frowned at her friend. “What? Where are we going?”

“Philadelphia,” Jane replied firmly. “We’re going to visit your parents for a while, until you’re feeling better.”

“Jane, we don’t have--” Darcy tried to protest, but Jane shook her head.

“No. You’ve clearly got more going on than just recovering from getting shot, and I’ve been too wrapped up in work to see it. So we are going to take a week off, do nothing remotely scientific, eat junk food, and go shopping. Go pack your bag.”

Darcy considered arguing just for the principle of it, but found she didn’t have the heart. “Okay,” she said, and let Jane haul her to her feet. She threw a couple more things into the go-bag she kept in the back of her closet and took a shower. By the time she was done, Jane was waiting in the living room with her own suitcase.

“I’ve already texted Steve and let him know where we’re going,” Jane said, grabbing Darcy’s bag and marching for the door.

“We’re leaving now?” Darcy asked, checking her watch. “Jane, it’s already nine o’clock!”

“And with any luck we can get there before midnight!” Jane replied, gesturing impatiently until Darcy followed her into the hallway. Jane locked the front door and headed for the elevator. “You should probably call you mom and let her know we’re coming.”

“Yeah, probably,” Darcy said weakly.

There was a nondescript black sedan waiting for them outside their apartment building, an equally nondescript SHIELD agent waiting to hand over the keys. Jane threw the bags into the back seat and climbed into the driver’s side. She had to adjust the seat way far forward, tilt the mirrors down, and lower the steering wheel until she was ready to drive.

Darcy buckled her seat belt and leaned back in her seat. “Okay, then,” she said resignedly. “Let’s do this.”

XxxXxxX

Darcy’s phone chirped and vibrated at the same time, humming against the wooden surface of the table. She glanced down at it, and then looked up to see Joanna’s disapproving stare. “It’s not Steve,” Darcy said, a bald-face lie.

“Mmhmm,” Joanna said, turning back to preparing their meals for Yom Kippur the following day. Darcy picked up her phone and opened the text, which was a picture of a perfectly-made apple cake. _Success!_ was the accompanying caption. She hid a smile and turned her phone off again, only for it to chirp and vibrate in her hand. Darcy tapped the screen to life. There was now a picture of an almost-empty cake plate, covered in crumbs. _Clint got to it_ , explained the caption.

Darcy snorted and muffled a giggle behind her hand.

“What is it?” Jane whispered, leaning over. Darcy angled the phone so Jane could see both texts, one right after the other. Jane shook her head with a fond smile.

Darcy and Jane had been refused in their offers to help, Darcy on the grounds that she was injured, and Jane because she was a guest. Joanna claimed that she had been making the Yom Kippur meals herself for the last thirty years, and a few more years weren’t going to matter.

The microwave dinged, announcing that the popcorn was ready, and Jane retrieved it before she and Darcy retreated to the living room again. Darcy unpaused the movie once they were settled on the couch. Jane tossed Darcy a pillow to support her back.

“Why doesn’t your mom like Steve?” Jane asked, spreading the blanket over their legs.

Darcy snorted again. “She thinks our ‘just friends’ status is a cover for him to corrupt her innocent and naive baby daughter.”

Jane stared at her. “Steve?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yes,” Darcy confirmed.

“Corrupt _you_?” Jane echoed.

“I _know_!” Darcy agreed.

Jane dissolved into helpless giggles at the thought. Darcy had no choice but to join her a moment later. When they’d regained their composure, Jane leaned forward, her expression serious.

“Wait, when you say ‘innocent’ and ‘naive,’ you’re not saying you’re a--”

“Finish that sentence and I will murder you,” Darcy growled.

Jane widened her eyes at her younger friend. “So you’re _not_ a--”

“No!” Darcy protested, throwing a kernel of popcorn at Jane.

“But your mom doesn’t know you’re not a--”

“Literally. Murder. I will smother you with a pillow in your sleep.”

Jane picked the popcorn out of the blanket and tossed it back at Darcy. “I’m just relieved to know you’re a normal person. Because you are frighteningly competent, you sleep less than I do, and you cook flawlessly. When you said you’d never had a boyfriend, I actually thought you might be a robot.”

“I’ve never had a _boyfriend_ ,” Darcy said, making the emphasis clear.

Jane took a couple kernels of popcorn and chewed them thoughtfully, eying Darcy. “So… You’ve had a girlfriend?” she asked.

“For a couple months, yeah,” Darcy replied casually. “She transferred to Stanford in our sophomore year.”

“Is that the longest you’ve ever been in a relationship?” Jane asked, twisting the blanket in her fingers.

Darcy scowled at Jane and threw another kernel at her. “What’s with the twenty questions? Geez, suddenly we’re interested in my love life.”

“Well, _my_ love life is being cock blocked by the whole _universe_ , so I’m trying to live vicariously through you,” Jane said dryly, throwing her hands up in the air. “Also I promised we would do nothing remotely resembling work and so I’m making my own pitiful attempt at ‘girl talk.’”

“At least you recognize your shortcomings,” Darcy replied sardonically, rolling her eyes.

“Can I ask you another question?” Jane pressed on.

“Why not?” Darcy slouched down, ignoring the protesting twinge in her back and side.

“You and Steve. Could that ever happen?”

Darcy’s eyebrows jumped towards her hairline. “Me and _Steve_?” she echoed, surprised.

“Yeah,” Jane said, gaining enthusiasm for the idea. “Why not? You guys are friends already and you’ve only known him for a few months. You’ve gone out together. You’ve made him _dinner_ . And he’s _really_ good-looking, you have to admit.”

“Oh, yeah, Steve is definitely easy on the eyes,” Darcy agreed quickly. “But…” she hesitated.

“What is it?” Jane demanded. “Come _on_ , Darcy. He’d be perfect for you.”

“Um,” Darcy hedged, unsure if she should explain the truth. Jane could be trusted, she decided. Besides, Jane was friends with Steve, too. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt or embarrass him. “You do know he’s gay, right?” Darcy asked slowly.

Jane’s eyes almost bulged out of her head. “ _What_?” she hissed, smart enough to keep her voice down.

Darcy nodded. “Steve is gay,” she repeated.

Jane blinked. “How do you _know_ that?”

Darcy tapped her temple. “I have excellent gaydar,” she told Jane. “Also, he has seen me in pajamas and no bra and he never looked below my collar bone.”

“Maybe he’s just a gentleman,” Jane offered.

Darcy looked at Jane over her glasses. “Honey, I know you’re straight as hell and not inclined to notice these things, but I am _extremely_ well-endowed. I don’t care how much of a gentleman you are. You see these puppies in a thin t-shirt and no bra, you are _staring_. Steve didn’t even peek.”

Jane leaned back, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. “Captain America is gay. I never would have thought.”

“You cannot tell anyone,” Darcy said, pointing at her threateningly. “And I mean _anyone_ . Steve never officially told me. I don’t think _he’s_ told anyone. So this needs to stay quiet.”

Jane held up her hand. “I promise,” she said sincerely. “Not a word. I’m just… Captain America. Can you believe it?”

“Yeah, you didn’t hear about that in history class,” Darcy said dryly. “Because being gay was, you know, _illegal_ back then.”

“Does he know that it isn’t, anymore?” Jane asked. “Does he know about gay marriage?”

“Never brought the subject up,” Darcy replied with a shrug. “Or, I sorta did but he got super uncomfortable and asked to change the subject.”

“How did _that_ conversation go?” Jane demanded.

“I basically told him I was bi and he blushed and stammered and asked if it was safe to discuss it in public,” Darcy said, picking at the popcorn.

“Well, at least he knows about you, if he ever wants to talk about it with someone,” Jane said. “You know, that you’re…”

“Queer?” Darcy finished for her.

“I wasn’t going to use that word,” Jane said defensively.

“It’s whatever,” Darcy said with another shrug. “That word never bothered me.”

Jane tilted her head. “I’m glad you told me,” she said softly. “You’re not out, are you ?”

“Not to my parents,” Darcy said glibly. “I don’t advertise it to other people, but I don’t exactly _hide_ it, either.”

“You really should date more, though,” Jane said. “You’re a great person, Darcy. You deserve to not be alone.”

“Are you kidding?” Darcy asked in disbelief. “Like I don’t have enough on my plate taking care of you, now I’ve got three Avengers to babysit. When do I have time to go on dates?”

“I’ll give you the weekends off,” Jane offered.

Darcy rolled her eyes. “That’ll last all of two hours,” Darcy replied. “And then you’ll be calling me. ‘Darcy, where did I put the spectrograph scatter charts? Darcy, the coffee maker is not working. Darcy, I forgot to eat lunch and now my blood sugar is crashing.’”

Jane threw a pillow at Darcy. “I do _not_ talk like that!” she protested. “I do _not_ whine.”

“The whining is implied,” Darcy replied.

Jane grabbed the pillow she’d thrown and thwacked Darcy’s shoulder with it. “You’re such a brat!” she exclaimed.

Darcy yanked the pillow out of Jane’s grasp. “Yeah, but you love me, so go me!”

Jane ceased her assault and slouched down in her seat. “Okay, true, but only for your cooking.”

“Eh, good enough,” Darcy said with a shrug. “Now what the hell were we watching?”

“No clue,” Jane replied.


	13. Kiss The Ring And Make 'Em Bow Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A kind reader has pointed out some inaccuracies in my knowledge of Jewish customs. I do apologize for any more inaccuracies in the future. I do not mean any disrespect, but all of my knowledge of Jewish culture and traditions comes from research, not personal experience. I am not Jewish, but I hold a deep respect for the religion and people. I have had Jewish!Darcy as my personal headcanon since I saw Thor and it was important to me to write her that way.

Darcy stood in the middle of the cell, eyes closed and hands clenched at her sides. Her whole body was tense, muscles braced in apprehension. She appeared to be alone in the cell, empty except for her and the furniture.

A golden ball flew through the air and impacted her shoulder hard enough to bruise. Darcy recoiled, hand coming up to clutch the injured area. “Ow! Dammit!”

“ _Focus_ ,” said Loki’s voice firmly, coming from seemingly nowhere. Darcy scowled and closed her eyes again, shoulders hunched up around her ears. “Relax,” Loki ordered. “You’re not going to feel anything if you’re that tense.”

Darcy forced her shoulders down and breathed deeply, forcing the rest of her muscles to unclench. “Okay,” she said, still breathing deeply through her nose.

There was a long moment of silence in which nothing happened, and then another golden ball appeared, heading toward Darcy from a different direction. She opened her eyes at the last second, twisting her body towards the incoming ball and raising a hand. The ball smacked square into her palm.

“Yes!” she crowed, holding the ball up in the air, only for a third one to appear and bounce off her forehead. “ _Ow_!”

“You were distracting yourself,” Loki admonished, and dissolved the glamour surrounding him. He held a basket still half full of the fist-sized balls. He put them on the nearby desk.

“You know, when you said you wanted me to hone my future-telling skills, I did not picture this,” Darcy said crossly, and flung the ball in her hand at his head. He caught it without looking and put it with the others.

“Pain is often a valuable motivator,” he said carelessly.

“Can we go back to the meditating?” Darcy asked, the barest hint of a whine in her voice. “The meditating did not leave welts.”

“You were no longer progressing,” Loki told her. “We needed an alternative method.”

“Which involves turning me black and blue,” Darcy retorted.

“If you’re complaining about this, then I dread to think how you’ll react when we start hand-to-hand combat,” Loki said dryly.

“Ugh,” Darcy said, wrinkling her nose. “Please remember that my vessel is fragile and human and it takes me weeks to recover from a broken bone.”

Loki gave her an assessing look. “Yes, well, we _are_ waiting until you are fully healed from your current injuries for that very reason.”

Darcy crossed her arms in front of her and swung them outwards, repeating a couple of times to test the pull of muscles. “It’s been six weeks since I got shot,” she said. “I’m pretty much recovered.”

“You still get out of breath far too quickly,” Loki pointed out. “No, your combat training can wait another week or so. Have you been practicing your storing and summoning?”

“Yeah,” Darcy replied, and held out her hand, palm up. She frowned in concentration, staring hard at her hand. She closed her fingers in a fist and held it for a few seconds, and then opened her fingers back up. A golden hairpin decorated with a green jewel glittered in her hand. Darcy grinned triumphantly.

“Have you been able to use anything larger?” Loki asked, unimpressed.

Darcy glared at him. “No,” she said sullenly. “I’m working on it. I mean, I _am_ creating and maintaining a pocket dimension with the powers of my _mind_. It’s not like it’s difficult or anything.”

Loki dismissed her words with a lazy wave of his hands. “If you work harder, it will become easier.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. She no longer got frustrated at his apparent total lack of human decency. If she let it get to her she’d be in a constant state of pure rage and would probably spontaneously morph in the Hulk or something.

“How are you sleeping?” Loki asked abruptly. “Are you still having nightmares?”

“Of Jane dying? Yes,” Darcy replied, rubbing her bruised shoulder petulantly.

Loki opened a drawer in his desk. “I have something for you,” he said, and turned around, a small silver flask in his hand. She recognized it immediately.

“That’s yours,” she said, shaking her head. “You need it just as much, maybe more, than I do.”

“I had this prepared specifically for you,” Loki told her impatiently, and held it out to her.

“How?” Darcy asked, walking over to take it. “I mean, Thor knows I’m visiting you, but he hasn’t told anyone. Because I asked him to. Because I’m a _norn_ and I know what I’m doing.” She muttered the last two sentences, mostly to herself.

“The elixir is made by Lady Frigga,” Loki told her, face blank of emotion. “I told her I had run out, and needed more.”

Darcy weighed the small object in her hand. It was heavier than it looked, and cool to the touch. “Thank you,” she said quietly. She no longer got frustrated by Loki’s apparent lack of human decency, but she never failed to be thrown when he proved he did, in fact, have it.

“Have you been able to dreamwalk to the Hall of Stars again?” Loki asked, smoothly changing the subject.

Darcy curled her hand over the flask. It was too valuable for her to attempt to store it in her tiny pocket dimension, so it went into the pocket of her sweatpants. “No, not since... “ She stopped herself before she spoke the word. If Loki _was_ destined to bring Ragnarok, the last thing she wanted to do was tell Loki where it was located. (And of course, the thought that _Ragnarok_ , an event, could be a physical item, and stored in a non-physical location was not something she wanted to dwell on.)

“Not since I was shot,” she finished instead.

“Have any of the norns commented on this?”

“Other than Urd making snarky, passive-aggressive remarks on my vessel being inferior? No.” Darcy shifted her weight restlessly. She wondered if this line of questioning meant that their lesson was over for the night, or if he was using it as a segway into a different lesson.

“It is important for you to be able to come and go from the Hall at your will,” Loki said. “I suggest continuing to work on that.”

“Sure,” Darcy said tersely. “Anything else? It’s getting kinda late.”

He waved his hand again. “We’re done. You can go.”

“Awesome,” Darcy said, and prepared to leave.

“Darcy,” Loki called, stopping her in her proverbial tracks. He looked at her with a guarded expression in his green eyes. “You are progressing remarkably well,” he told her evenly. “You should know that.”

Darcy eyed him for a moment, waiting to see if the other shoe was going to drop. “… Thanks,” she said after a few seconds. “You’re a good teacher, I guess.”

Loki shrugged, his expression souring, and Darcy decided that was a good time to leave.

XxxXxxX

“Darcy, can I ask a favor?”

Darcy looked up from where she was intently watching the monitors to see Steve standing uncomfortably a few paces away. “Did you walk into the lab without me noticing?” she demanded, glaring at him.

He flashed her a brief smile. “I am remarkably light on my feet,” he told her.

She blinked at him a couple of times. “Apparently,” she replied. She glanced over at the observation window. Through the glass, Jane and Erik could be seen adjusting the monitoring equipment on the Tesseract. Then she checked the readouts on the screen in front of her to make sure all readings were normal. Only then did she turn in her spinny chair to face Steve. “Okay. I’m all ears.”

Steve took a deep breath. “Will you go to a party with me?” he asked in a rush.

Darcy stared at him. “Whoa,” she said, holding up a hand. “Back the truck up. Did the word ‘party’ just come out of your mouth, preceded by the words ‘will you go to a’?”

Steve flushed bright pink and glared at her. “Darcy,” he growled warningly.

She grinned at him. “Yes. I will absolutely go to this party with you.”

He looked taken aback. “You don’t even know when and where it is.”

Darcy shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. You, me, party, _yeah_. Let’s live it up. Are we talking tuxedos and champagne or miniskirts and jello shots?”

He stared at her for a moment. “Uh, it’s formal. And it’s at Stark Tower.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Darcy squealed, clapping her hands together in excitement. “Seriously? That is so cool! Is it like, an Avengers reunion thing?”

“It’s a charity gala to help fund the reconstruction of Manhattan,” Steve said with a sigh, rolling his eyes at her language. Darcy knew it bothered him when she cursed; it was why she did it. “Stark asked me, Clint, and Natasha to be there.”

“Are Clint and Natasha going?” Darcy asked.

“No,” Steve said flatly. “They conveniently got a mission. I, however, have been assured I have plenty of downtime in the near future.”

“Aw, that sucks,” Darcy said sympathetically. “And so you want at least one person there who isn’t out to schmooze and booze you.”

“Yes?” Steve said uncertainly, puzzled by her choice of words.

“Okay, I can do that,” Darcy said with a nod. “And I can do one better.” She spun around and knocked on the window. Jane and Erik both looked up. “Yo guys! You wanna be Steve’s plus three to a party?” she yelled through the glass.

“What kind of party?” Jane yelled back.

“Stark party!” Darcy replied.

Erik grimaced, and declined with a shake of his head and a wave of his hand, but Jane perked up. “Sure!” she yelled. “Sounds like fun!”

Darcy spun back around to face Steve. “Bam. Two social bodyguards to deflect and distract. Done.”

“Thank you,” Steve said gratefully, the pink finally fading from his cheeks.

Darcy rubbed her hands together. “This is gonna be fun. But on to important things. When and how are we getting there? Do I need to make travel arrangements? Hotel reservations?”

“No, no,” Steve said quickly. “I’m handling everything. Just worry about your dress. And it’s this Friday, and I was hoping to leave on Wednesday.”

“Damn, Steve, that only gives us two days to find a dress!” Darcy exclaimed.

Steve’s eyes widened. “Is that not enough time?” he asked worriedly.

“No, it’s doable,” Darcy said, tapping her lips. “Let’s just hope we don’t have to have anything altered. Speaking of which, what about you? Two days is not a lot of time to get a tux.”

“Stark sent one along with the invitation,” Steve said, sounding slightly irritated. “It’s already been tailored.”

“Damn,” Darcy said again, impressed. She spun around and knocked on the window again. “Jane, we need to take an early day!” she called. “We’re leaving on Wednesday! We need to go dress shopping!”

Jane looked torn for a moment, and then heaved a deep sigh before grabbing her tablet and heading for the exit. She appeared in the lab a moment later. “I didn’t realize it was going to be this week,” she said, taking her tablet over to her laptop and plugging it in the transfer the data.

“You don’t have to go,” Steve said, but Jane shook her head.

“And miss out on the opportunity to rub elbows with some of the top names in cutting-edge science? No thank you. Erik can handle the equipment adjustments on his own. Darcy, do you want to take the Metro or taxi?”

“Metro is cheaper,” Darcy replied, gathering up her stuff and shoving it into her bag. “Let’s go. We can probably get in a good three hours of shopping before it gets crazy.”

XxxXxxX

Steve knocked on their apartment door at precisely eight o’clock on Wednesday morning. Darcy, of course, insisted on making breakfast for the three of them before they left, which meant they didn’t get the luggage gathered and down the stairs until half past ten. True to his word, Steve had taken care of transportation, and a black, unmarked SUV waited for them at the curb.

“You requisitioned a SHIELD car to go to a party?” Jane asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Apparently being Captain America means that you can requisition anything,” Steve replied mildly as he loaded their bags into the back of the truck. “Did you guys decide who was sitting up front?”

“Darcy,” Jane replied. “She has standing music privileges as part of the great Science Treaty of Puente Antiguo, and the DJ gets shotgun.”

Steve closed the back door and gave her a curious look. “I sense a story hidden somewhere in there.”

“Darcy and I had to come to an agreement on many things when we realized we were going to be living together for at least three months,” Jane explained. “Darcy agreed to do all cooking in exchange for permanent music rights.”

“Wise decision,” Steve said solemnly.

Jane glared at him. “My cooking isn’t _that_ bad,” she said sourly.

Darcy rolled down the passenger side window and poked her head out. “Are we gonna leave, or what?” she yelled at them. “We’re never gonna beat traffic through the tunnel at this rate!”

After Steve and Jane got in the car, Darcy turned immediately to Steve. “Are you sure you don’t want me or Jane to drive?”

“That’s the fourth time you’ve asked me that,” Steve said dryly. “Why do I get the feeling you doubt my abilities?”

“You learned how to drive a car in the middle of World War II,” Darcy told him flatly. “You didn’t even get your driver’s license until four months ago.”

“I can handle it,” Steve said edgily. “I mean, how hard can it be?”

Darcy’s eyes went comically wide. “Oh, god. You’ve doomed us all.”

“You have got to be fucking _kidding_ me,” Steve snarled four hours later when they still hadn’t gotten past Newark and the 95 was practically a parking lot. “Who the hell gave these assholes driver’s licenses? _Nazis_ drove better than these clowns!”

Jane and Darcy had been giggling hysterically since Steve’s outbursts had started, two hours ago. Every time they had recovered their composure, something set him off again, and the sight of Captain America red-faced and swearing in a Brooklyn accent that finally made its appearance was just too much for them to handle.

“I’m so glad _you’re_ having a good time,” Steve snapped at Darcy.

“Hey, I offered to drive,” Darcy reminded him.

“I am fully capable of driving a couple hundred miles on paved roads,” he replied sharply. “It’s all the other jackasses on the road I can’t handle.”

Jane started hiccupping in the back seat from trying to hold back her laughter.

“Deep breaths, Steve,” Darcy said, not bothering to hide the laughter in her voice.

“Shut up,” he told her savagely.

It was close to six o’clock when they finally arrived at Stark Tower. They had to get through three layers of increasingly aggressive security until they reached a courtyard where a valet unloaded the SUV and took the keys from Steve. The courtyard entered into a small, empty lobby that only had an elevator on the opposite wall.

As the three of them got themselves and their suitcases into the elevator, a bland, British voice spoke from the direction of the ceiling. “Welcome back, Captain Rogers. It is good to see you again.”

“Hello, Jarvis,” Steve replied while Jane and Darcy looked around.

Darcy elbowed Steve in the side. “Who’s Jarvis?” she asked in a stage whisper.

“I am an advanced-form artificial intelligence,” replied the emotionless voice. “I run all services and security for the building.”

“Nice!” Darcy said.

“Um, does that mean there are cameras everywhere?” Jane asked. “So you can have visual input?”

“There are no cameras in the residential areas of the Tower,” Jarvis assured her mildly. “I have other means of data input to track the occupants of the residential areas.”

“That’s reassuring,” Jane muttered. She looked around the elevator. “Um, there are no buttons.”

“There is no need,” Jarvis informed her. “I control the elevators, also. The Captain’s suite is on floor one hundred and one. Would you like me to bring the elevator to that floor?”

“Yes, thank you, Jarvis,” Steve replied.

Darcy elbowed Steve again. “You have a _suite_?” she demanded, her voice rising in pitch.

“…Yes?” Steve said uncertainly.

“You have a _suite_ in Stark Tower, but you live in a renovated, SHIELD-issue low-rise in DC,” Darcy asked in disbelief.

“Believe it or not, Tony Stark does not make the easiest house mate,” Steve replied dryly.

“Actually I _can_ imagine,” Jane said, nodding. “I met him once.”

“Really? When?” Darcy asked curiously.

“I was still in college,” Jane replied. “He was a guest lecture in my quantum physics course. He was totally blitzed and kept hitting on the TA.”

“Oh,” Darcy said.

“In his defense, he’s drunk a lot less often and he’s completely devoted to Miss Potts,” Steve said flatly.

“So I hear,” Jane said sourly. The elevator came to a halt with a cheery ding, and the doors opened. They found themselves stepping into a large common room, with an indented sitting area and a wet bar. The far wall was floor to ceiling windows, giving an excellent view of downtown Manhattan.

Darcy whistled as she looked around. “Damn,” she said. “This place is _ballin’_.”

“It’s nice,” Jane agreed. “Really, really nice.”

“Stark likes to show off,” Steve said dismissively. “Come on. It’s this way.” They followed him down a side hall to a door that had no lock or knob, just a square glass plate. Steve placed his palm against the plate and the door swung open. “Jarvis, please add Darcy and Jane as my guests for the weekend,” Steve instructed.

“As you wish, Captain. Ms. Lewis, Dr Foster, if you would be so kind as to place your right hand against the biometric reader.”

Darcy and Jane obeyed, their handprints added to the system. Only then did they enter Steve’s suite. It had an open floor plan, but it lacked the modern, industrial atmosphere of the rest of the building. Instead there were exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and a lot of soft, plush textiles.

“This is amazing,” Darcy gushed, spinning around in place. “Oh, my god, Steve. I love it!”

“It’s all right,” Steve said offhandedly.

“All right?” Jane repeated, her voice squeaking in disbelief. “Do you _know_ how much an apartment like this _costs_ in Manhattan?”

“To be honest, I like my apartment in DC better,” Steve replied in a clipped voice.

Darcy picked up on his reluctance to continue the conversation and picked up her bag again. “Right. Where’s the guest rooms?”

Steve pointed at two doors off the living room. “You’ll have to flip a coin, I guess,” he said, but Darcy and Jane just looked at each other and held out their fists. They silently bounced them a couple of times before choosing. Jane won with scissors and she chose the room on the right.

After dropping her bags in her room, Darcy returned to the living room to find Steve sitting on the couch, checking his emails on his phone. Darcy plopped down next to him and glared. “Are you working?” she demanded.

“Just keeping updated with Clint and Natasha’s mission,” Steve replied.

Darcy crossed her arms. “This is supposed to be a mini-vacation,” she told him accusingly.

“It still is,” he told her without looking up from his phone. Darcy reached over and took it away from him. She didn’t try to read his emails; she didn’t have the clearance for that, but she turned it off and tossed it back to him.

“There’s a Kosher cafe less than a block from here,” she told him when he scowled at her. “We are going to get dinner and pick up ice cream on the way back. Then we are going to see if this place has Netflix, and we’re going to marathon season five of The X-Files. Got it?”

Steve sighed. “Fine.”

Darcy jabbed a finger at him. “I know you’re not looking forward to this party, but you’re still going to have a good time whether you like it or not.”

Steve saluted her mockingly. “Yes, _ma’am_.”

Jane emerged from her room. “I didn’t catch all of that but I heard the word ‘dinner’ and I’m starving,” she announced.

Darcy grinned and bounced to her feet. “Awesome! Let’s go!”

XxxXxxX

They stepped out of the elevator, arguing the merits of rocky road over pistachio. Darcy and Jane carried bags with tubs of ice cream while Steve carried their leftovers from dinner and ingredients for breakfast, as Steve had forgotten to mention in his RSVP that Darcy had dietary restrictions, and the kitchen had not been stocked appropriately.

“Captain! Jarvis mentioned you snuck in. Should I be insulted you didn’t stop and say hello?” Tony Stark himself strode across the common room towards them. He wore a Metallica t-shirt and torn jeans. His hair stuck up in random places, and there were shadows under his eyes.

“We really needed to get something to eat,” Steve replied. “We’d been on the road all day.” He greeted Stark with a nod and a firm handshake. “Thank you for letting us stay here.”

Stark waved carelessly. “Sure, sure, no problem. Don’t mention it. You can, however, mention your two friends here. Dr… Foster, isn’t it? The one who Thor wouldn’t shut up about. Hi. Tony Stark.”

“I know,” Jane replied dryly, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr Stark.”

“Call me Tony, please. Everybody does. And who is this?” Tony turned to Darcy. Darcy was willing to give him credit because he only looked at her chest for about two seconds before his eyes bounced back up to her face. Devoted to Miss Potts, indeed.

“Darcy Lewis,” Darcy said, sticking her hand out. “I’m Jane’s personal and laboratory assistant.”

“Delighted,” Tony replied, shaking her hand. “And how did you two cross paths with Captain, my Captain?”

“We live down the hall,” Darcy said.

“And we work in the same building,” Jane added.

“And he’s bringing you to my party?” Tony asked, looking curious. He turned to Darcy again. “You _are_ coming to the party, right? They didn’t just bring you along to assist?”

“I _am_ going to the party,” Darcy affirmed. “Steve actually asked me first, and I invited Jane.”

“Really?” Tony asked and gave Darcy and assessing look. “Just how good of friends are you with Cap, anyhow?”

“We’re just friends,” Steve and Darcy said at the same time. Jane blinked in surprise and then laughed. Tony looked between them for a moment.

“Right,” he said slowly. “Well, I was going to invite you guys over for drinks with me, Pepper, and Bruce, unless you had other plans?”

“Dr Banner is here?” Jane asked excitedly. “I’d love to speak to him again.”

Darcy elbowed Steve in the ribs. “Pepper Potts!” she stage-whispered. “You have to say yes!”

“All right, all right,” Steve said, shaking his head at her. “Let’s just drop the ice cream in the freezer first.”

“How much did you get?” Tony asked, eying their bags.

“A lot,” Darcy said. “We couldn’t agree on flavors.”

“Bring it,” Tony said. “Ice cream and alcohol. It’ll be fun.”

He led them across the common room and down another hall where he used a hand scanner to open a door. “Hey Pepper, look, Steve brought _friends_ ,” Tony called as they came into the suite’s living room.

A tall, slender woman with strawberry-blonde hair and freckles looked up from where she was mixing a martini at the bar. “Captain!” she called with a smile. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“I’ve told you to call me Steve, ma’am,” Steve replied.

“Only if you call me Pepper,” Miss Potts said, coming around the bar to hand the martini to Dr Banner, who smiled and waved at Jane. “Who are your friends?”

“This is Dr Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis,” Steve introduced. “They work with me at SHIELD.”

“And make sure you don’t work yourself to death, and water your plants when you’re on a mission, and remind you to go grocery shopping,” Darcy added. She stuck her hand out towards Pepper. “Hi. It’s an honor to meet you. You’ve been one of my heroes for… a really long time, actually.”

“That’s so kind of you to say,” Pepper said demurely, shaking Darcy’s hand. “And Jane Foster. You’re friends with Thor, aren’t you?”

“Uh, yes,” Jane said, shaking Pepper’s hand.

“I’m sorry, it must get frustrating to have your entire reputation based on your affiliation with a man you have a difficult relationship with,” Pepper said, and glanced sidelong at Tony. “I know a little of how that feels.”

Jane chuckled. “It’s not so bad,” she said.

“Well, anyone who fails to recognize you based on your incredible advancements in astrophysics is just robbing themselves,” Dr Banner spoke up. “It’s good to see you again, Dr Foster.”

“You too, Dr Banner,” Jane replied with a grin.

“No, no,” Tony interrupted. “This is way too formal. Come on, guys! Jarvis, give us some tunes. Lewis, hand over that ice cream.”

If Darcy had been asked, two years ago, what the likelihood of her meeting _all six_ of America’s premier superheroes, she would have laughed hysterically and replied with a firm “zero.” But here she was, eating ice cream and sipping a truly fantastic martini with Tony freakin’ Stark, Bruce Banner, and Steve Rogers. Not to mention Pepper Potts, who Darcy had had a secret crush on since Darcy had first seen her on the news expertly distracting a crowd of journalists while Stark threw up into a fountain.

Jane didn’t seem overly impressed, but had monopolized Dr Banner’s attention for practically the whole time. Steve listened intently while Pepper explained the various charities Stark Industries was involved in, with commentary by Tony. Darcy dug into her chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and soaked everything in. So it was with some surprise when Pepper turned to her and asked a direct question.

Darcy blinked a couple of times, caught off-guard. “What?” she asked.

“I asked if you studied astrophysics, or a different science,” Pepper asked kindly.

“Uh, no, my major is political science,” Darcy replied quickly. “And I’m graduating at the end of this semester.”

“Poli Sci?” Tony said, wrinkling his nose. “How’d you end up working for Foster, then?”

“College internship,” Darcy explained. “And then I realized she couldn’t survive without me so I stayed on.”

“I can survive just fine without you,” Jane interrupted herself to say.

“Oh yeah? What’s the manual pin code to deactivate the lab security?” Darcy challenged.

Jane narrowed her eyes at Darcy. “I have it written down. Somewhere.”

“Uh-huh,” Darcy said, not believing her. “You don’t even have Agent Sitwell’s phone number.”

“I have _Steve’s_ phone number,” Jane shot back.

“Not the same thing,” Darcy replied. “Steve is not our emergency SHIELD contact.”

“If you have a SHIELD emergency, you _better_ be contacting me,” Steve said quickly. “You guys are working with the Cube. Something goes wrong with that, I need to know.”

“Wait, you don’t even have a science degree and they let you work with the Tesseract?” Tony demanded, looking at Darcy in disbelief. “Are they just letting _anyone_ work on that thing?”

“Darcy already had the necessary clearances,” Steve retorted. “She’s also very good at her job, which doesn’t actually require a science degree.”

“But she probably understands the science of what I do a lot better than the average person,” Jane put in, raising her chin. “She’s extremely intelligent.”

“Hi,” Darcy said, waving. “Still present. And hearing every part of this conversation.”

Tony had the decency to look embarrassed. “Right. Did not intend to cast doubt on your ability to do your job.”

“Which she is very good at,” Jane interrupted.

“And you said you could survive without me,” Darcy muttered.

“I said I _could_ ,” Jane corrected. “Did not say I _wanted_ to. Your cooking is just too damn good to give up.”

“I am the Kosher queen,” Darcy said with a triumphant nod. “Although, Steve is not half bad. He’s coming along nicely in his lessons. He made latkes the other day and they were the bomb.”

“You’re taking cooking lessons?” Tony asked. He sounded truly curious, not disdainful. “That’s a great hobby for you. You get to play with knives and fire, and if it ends well, you have something delicious to eat!”

“See, that’s what I’ve always said!” Darcy agreed. “No one else ever thinks it’s a cool hobby to get into.”

“What you do isn’t a hobby, Darce, it’s an art form,” Jane said.

“Okay now you have to cook for us so we can see what the fuss is about,” Tony said, leaning forward. “What’s your specialty?”

“Breakfast,” Darcy replied instantly. “I’m making blintzes in the morning. You’re all invited.”

“Deal!” Tony declared, leaning back.

“Darcy, are you Jewish?” Pepper asked. “You just called yourself the ‘Kosher queen’ but I didn’t want to make assumptions.”

“My family is,” Darcy replied. “We’re not Orthodox but we follow the Kosher laws.”

Pepper nodded and pulled out her phone to make a note. “I’ll make sure the caterers have Kosher options at the gala.”

“You don’t have to...” Darcy said, and trailed off when Pepper gave her a look. “Thanks.”

“So Darcy, what’s the worst part about having Cap as a neighbor?” Tony asked with a smirk.

XxxXxxX

Darcy looked around in surprise when she found herself in Loki’s cell. “Crap,” she said.

Loki was doing the whole pacing thing again, his red staves in his hand. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Did you not intend to come here?” he asked.

Darcy rubbed her eyes. “No, I just don’t remember falling asleep. I think I had too many martinis. Ugh. Do you have any water?”

Loki gestured toward his dining table with one of the staves and went back to his pacing. Darcy walked over and poured herself a glass. She drained it and poured a second before stopping to watch him for a few seconds.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Magic,” he replied shortly.

“…By walking?” Darcy asked.

“This particular spell requires movement in the four cardinal directions,” Loki said irately. “And it also requires concentration.”

“Sorry,” Darcy said insincerely, and downed the second glass of water. Hoping that would be enough to stave off a hangover, she drifted over to his desk to see what else he was working on. He had three books open to various protection spells. Darcy skimmed over them but they hadn’t really gotten into spellwork yet, and a lot of it didn’t make sense. She got bored and turned away. If Loki was preoccupied by his spell, then there probably would be no lesson tonight. So instead she made her way over to his bed and curled up on top of the fur blanket.

It took less than ten minutes for her to fall fast asleep.

_The dark energy pulsed through Jane’s veins, tearing her apart from the inside. She was held in mid air, red light like water flowing around her. A figure in dark armor with pure-white skin held its hand out towards her, the darkness flowing from Jane to the figure, taking her life force along with it._

_The dark-armored figure drained the darkness from Jane and her lifeless body dropped to the broken ground. There was a flash of lightning and the boom of thunder. A rain of red glass fell from the sky. Loki stood off to the side and watched, a dagger in one hand and a death’s head grin contorting his features._

_Darcy watched, and could do nothing._


	14. Burn My Lungs And Curse My Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I do realize I've gotten three chapters out in four days. Please do not, by any means, think that this will be the new norm. I have just had these last two chapters planned out for a few weeks and they were easy to get down.
> 
> Like I mentioned before, there's a lot of downtime at work and I can usually get a good three to four hours of writing in. For now this story is holding my interest but I do have other projects I'd like to work on. I will do my best to warn you if I need to take a brief break. But do not despair! If I go too long between updates, Bea will be sure to kick my ass into gear :-)

Darcy pushed the last hairpin into place and checked the mirror again. The pins had been a gift from Frigga, actually, made of gold and decorated with tiny gems. They sparkled amidst the dark curls of her hair. They also had the advantage of looking ridiculously expensive, which Darcy was going to count as a win.

She’d also spent entirely too much on the dress, but it had been totally worth it. Other than the hairpins, the only jewelry she wore was the bracelet Loki had made for her. She never took it off as a necessity. With her training, her powers had gotten stronger, and she needed the bracelet to help her focus on _not_ using her powers all the time. It didn’t exactly match her dress, but Darcy didn’t care.

She checked her makeup one last time and left her ensuite bathroom. She slipped on her shoes and went to look for Steve and Jane. Steve was in the living room, dressed and waiting. Darcy wolf-whistled teasingly at the sight of him in the tuxedo, and Steve blushed.

“Nice,” Darcy said appreciatively, looking him up and down. “It really accentuates your already ridiculous shoulder-to-waist ratio.”

Steve blushed harder and shuffled his feet awkwardly. Darcy felt a flash of unease and no small amount of bitterness from him. She frowned. “Okay, what did I say wrong? Clearly that wasn’t taken well.”

Steve frowned back at her. “I thought you weren’t going to read me.”

“I don’t have to read you to pick up on the emotions you’re giving off,” she said, crossing her arms. “Spill.”

Steve looked down and chewed on his lip for a long time. “I didn’t always look like this, you know,” he said softly.

Darcy’s shoulders dropped. “Oh… Steve, I’m so sorry,” she said, realization dawning.

“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “I was short, and skinny, and no one was interested in talking to me. Now I’m this,” he gestured toward himself. “And people notice me.”

“I’m sorry,” Darcy said again, reaching out to touch his arm. “Trust me. I get body issues. It’s not easy.”

Steve shrugged his shoulders unhappily. “I’m fine, mostly. You just… I didn’t expect that from you.”

“Yeah, and it was a real dick move,” Darcy told him. “I should have known better.”

He looked up and smiled. “You look amazing, though. I love your hair.”

Darcy beamed. “And you say you don’t know how to talk to women.”

“Darcy!” Jane called from her room. Darcy held up a finger.

“Hold that thought,” she instructed, and went to see what Jane needed.

Jane was struggling with the zipper on her gown. It had gotten stuck on her underclothes, and Darcy untangled it and got it all the way up.

“Thanks,” Jane said in relief. Darcy inspected Jane’s hair and makeup, which the scientist had insisted she could do herself. “Do I pass muster?” Jane asked sarcastically.

“You look fabulous,” Darcy told her. “Just a warning, though, if you tell Steve he looks nice, make it as non-sexual as possible.”

“O-kaaaay?” Jane said, giving Darcy a weird look.

“Let’s just say I learned the hard way he has body image issues,” Darcy said with a grimace.

“Oh.” Jane frowned in thought. “But he’s so perfect! I mean literally. Science created him perfect.”

“He wasn’t always,” Darcy reminded her.

Jane’s eyes widened. “Oh,” she said again, softer this time.

The two women joined Steve in the living room, and his expression lit up at the sight of them. “Wow,” he said, grinning at both of them. “You two look fantastic.”

“Thank you,” Jane replied, giving him a small curtsy. “So do you. Very dashing.”

Steve plucked at his sleeve for a minute. “Tony tried to get me to wear a cumberbund,” he said.

“Ew,” Darcy replied, wrinkling her nose. “Those are so last season.” She hooked her arm through Steve’s. “Let’s go. They’re already serving the champagne.”

They entered the banquet hall with Darcy’s arm still looped through Steve’s, Jane on his other side. Darcy could feel Steve simmering on high alert, and the first thing he did was scan the room, noting exits, the windows, places of cover, and lines of sight. She didn’t mention her observation, but his anxiety was almost palpable.

Most of the guests had already arrived. Steve had requested they come later so he could try to hide in the crowd. Darcy wasn’t sure how long it would be until he was recognized, but she hoped it was long enough for him to start to relax.

“Holy shit,” Jane blurted suddenly. “That’s Neil Degrasse Tyson.”

“Where?” Darcy demanded, and Jane pointed. “Holy shit!”

“Who is Neil Degrasse Tyson?” Steve asked, following their stares to the portly, middle-aged Black man across the room.

“He’s a famous astrophysicist,” Darcy told him. “But he does TV and writes books and consults for, like, everyone. I mean, he’s reached Bill Nye levels of science stardom.”

“Bill Nye?” Steve echoed.

Darcy stared at him. “Oh, my god, what kind of TV are you watching?”

“Apparently not the right kind,” Steve muttered. “Do you want to go talk to him?”

“Yes,” Jane and Darcy said at the same time. Jane started off towards the other scientist. Darcy was on her heels but she dragged Steve along, despite his whispered protests.

“Dr Tyson?” Jane asked breathlessly when they reached him. The older man turned to her with a warm smile. “Hi. I’m Jane Foster. It’s an honor to meet you.” Jane stuck her hand out and Dr Tyson enfolded her tiny hand with his much larger one.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Foster,” he said in a deep, melodic voice.

“It’s doctor, actually,” Jane corrected quickly, but with a smile. “I’m an astrophysicist, too.”

“Are you, now?” Dr Tyson said, smiling back. “Then I recognize your name. You’re the one doing all that work on the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am,” Jane said, practically glowing. “And this is my assistant, Darcy, and our friend, Steve.”

“I grew up watching everything you did I could get my hands on,” Darcy blurted. “It’s pretty much the only reason I can keep up with Jane.”

“I’m happy to be of service,” Dr Tyson said with a chuckle. “What about you, Steve? Are you a scientist, too?”

“No,” Steve replied with a tight smile. “Just a friend who tagged along.”

“How did Stark manage to get you to come?” Jane asked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Are you joking?” Dr Tyson asked. “I practically begged him for an invitation. Not that I had to beg too hard, mind you, but I was ready to. Not only is this a charity for a good cause, but the collective scientific minds gathered here is a truly unique opportunity.”

“That’s why I wanted to come, too,” Jane said.

“Well, why don’t you tell me about your work?” Dr Tyson invited.

Darcy grabbed Steve’s elbow and guided him away. “As pumped as I am to have met him, this is the point of the conversation that I usually escape at,” she told him in a whisper.

“At least you knew who he was,” Steve muttered back.

“You have a lot to catch up on,” Darcy told him. “Don’t be mad because it’s taking you a while.”

“Captain Rogers?”

Darcy saw Steve’s shoulders stiffen before he turned around with a fake smile to greet the man who’d called his name.

“I’m Senator Cherryh from New York,” the dark-haired man said with a smarmy smile, grabbing Steve’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. You don’t go out in public much.”

“I stay busy,” Steve replied, his voice void of emotion.

“Well, we’re all very grateful for what you do,” Cherryh went on. “How do you like New York? I’m sure it’s changed a lot since you saw it last.”

“The reconstruction is going well, as far as I can tell,” Steve replied blandly.

“Oh, I meant since, well, you know,” Cherryh said, waving his hand vaguely. “You waking up from the ice, and all that.”

“Technology marches on, they tell me,” Steve said, his voice still colorless.

“Steve,” Darcy said in a not-so-subtle whisper. “Tony wanted to talk to you about the you-know-whats, remember?”

Steve had leaned towards her when she started talking, and then nodded. “Right. Thanks.” He straightened and looked at Cherryh. “Sorry. I need to go talk to Stark for a moment. It was good meeting you, Senator.”

“Of course, I’m sure you have your Avenger business to take care of,” Cherryh said with a laugh. Steve nodded and walked away, resting his hand on the small of Darcy’s back.

“Thank you,” he muttered at her.

“That’s what I’m here for,” she whispered back. “Oh, hey, munchies. Let’s get food.”

To her delight, Pepper had been true to her word and the Kosher options were clearly marked, allowing Darcy to fill a plate without fear of contamination. She forced Steve to take a plate as well, despite his anxiety stealing his appetite, being very familiar with the messy results if Steve’s blood sugar crashed. He didn’t just cranky, he got downright _crotchety_. And it took skill for someone who was biologically still in his twenties to get crotchety.

A blonde woman in a dress that was clearly intended to draw the male gaze all but prowled over to them, her cell phone and a clutch in one hand. “Captain Rogers,” she purred. “Hi. Christine Everhart, Vanity Fair. Can I have a word?”

“Just one?” Steve asked sarcastically, though his expression was neutral. Christine Everhart tittered and Darcy instantly hated her. She didn’t need to read the other woman to see how shallow she was.

“You’ve continued to work for SHIELD over the last couple of months,” Christine went on without asking for permission. “I was wondering if that meant you approve of their foreign affairs policies.”

Steve stared at her for a full five seconds and Darcy, standing at his elbow with her plate still clutched in her hand, could feel his frustration radiating like heat from his skin. “SHIELD has a lot of foreign affairs policies,” he said tightly. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

“How about the policy that allows SHIELD to railroad over local authorities in matters that clearly don’t involve the US?” Christine asked with a smirk.

Steve took a deep breath, but Darcy lightly touched his elbow and started talking instead. “SHIELD only interferes in foreign conflicts at the behest of the foreign nation, and in circumstances that the local authorities may not be prepared to handle the situation,” she said smoothly.

Christine blinked at her. “I’m sorry. You are?”

Darcy transferred her plate to her left hand and held out her right, meeting Christine’s eye challengingly. “Darcy Lewis. I work for SHIELD.”

“I see,” Christine replied unhappily, taking Darcy’s hand in a limp grip and quickly dropping it. “How, exactly, are you qualified to answer on Captain Roger’s behalf?”

“He’s a colleague, and a good friend,” Darcy said firmly, still staring Christine down.

“How lovely for you,” Christine said, and immediately turned back to Steve. “Captain, how do you personally plan to contribute towards the reconstruction of Manhattan, seeing as you played a pivotal role in its… deconstruction?”

Darcy felt Steve tense next to her and she herself was floored by the audacity of the question. Darcy touched his elbow again. He looked down at her, frowning, and she gave him a significant look. He replied with a slight nod. Darcy turned to stare at Christine again.

“Captain Rogers also played a pivotal role in stopping an _alien invasion_ ,” Darcy said coldly. “Any responsibility for the damage done to Manhattan can be placed solely on the _aliens_ , not the people who defended us. While it is regrettable that Manhattan suffered to the extent that it did, Captain Rogers holds no personal obligation for the reconstruction.”

“ _However_ ,” Steve added smoothly, “I have been volunteering my time in helping refugees from Manhattan track down missing family members, as well as making monetary donations toward the reconstruction.”

Christine frowned, a tiny furrow between her professionally-shaped brows. “Yes, thank you,” she said, clearly not getting the reaction she had been hoping for. She decided on a tactical retreat, and left Darcy and Steve alone.

Steve blew out a breath through gritted teeth, dangerously close to a growl. He quickly composed himself and looked at Darcy again. “When did you get so good at that?” he asked.

Darcy pointed at herself. “Poli Sci major. Also I got mad norn skills. Saw right through that bitch. She was just trying to get a rise out of you.”

“She almost got one,” Steve muttered darkly.

Darcy patted his arm. “Eat your food. I’ll let you know the earliest we can politely leave.”

Darcy saw Pepper working the room and watched her with undisguised admiration. It was clear why she had survived so long as Tony’s PA, and why she thrived as CEO of Stark Industries. She was scarily talented at people skills. Pepper worked her way over to them, taking a glass of champagne from a server as she joined them. Before saying anything to the two of them, she drained the entire glass in one go.

“That bad, huh?” Darcy asked sympathetically.

“As much as I appreciate the fact we are trying to get these people to donate towards the reconstruction,” Pepper said, setting her empty glass down. “If I hear one more ‘subtle’ comment on how I slept my way to promotion I am going to start throwing things.”

“They say that to your face?” Steve demanded sharply, frowning at her.

Pepper waved a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before, a hundred times. But it gets old.”

“They shouldn’t be saying things like that about you, that’s unacceptable,” Steve insisted.

“Yes, it is, but it doesn’t stop people from doing it,” Pepper told him. “But really, don’t get upset about it. I don’t usually let it bother me, it’s just been a long few weeks.”

Steve replied, still hot under the collar on her behalf, but there was a sudden deafening ringing in Darcy’s ears, and her vision went blurred. The scent of smoke filled her nostrils and she could taste blood on her tongue. She swayed, suddenly dizzy, and had to grab Steve’s arm.

She tried to blink her eyes back into focus and saw Steve staring down at her in concern, his mouth moving. She still couldn’t hear him over the ringing. _Jane_ . Darcy had an overwhelming need to know where Jane was. She _needed_ to know Jane was safe.

“Jane,” Darcy rasped through a dry throat. She couldn’t hear herself, couldn’t hear how loud she spoke, so she tried again. “Jane. I need Jane.” Steve said something to Pepper and went to leave, but Darcy grabbed his arm harder. “Don’t leave,” she begged.

Pepper touched Steve’s arm and hurried off, and Steve turned to face Darcy fully, his hands closing over her elbows to hold her upright. He was still talking to her but she shook her head at him. “I can’t hear you,” she said, trying not to yell. “Something’s about to happen. I need Jane.”

Over Steve’s shoulder, Darcy saw Pepper approaching with Jane in tow, and the tightness in her chest eased just a little bit. Darcy reached out towards Jane and the other woman grabbed Darcy’s hand, the other coming up to cup Darcy’s cheek. Darcy saw Jane’s lips form her name, and then ask a question, but she still could hear nothing.

The floor lurched under Darcy’s feet and a ball of fire exploded from the other end of the room where Jane had been standing, throwing glass and debris into the air. The concussive force knocked all of them to the ground, Steve instinctively moving to protect the three women.

It was as if the explosion cleared the symptoms Darcy had been experiencing, because when it was over her vision was clear and the ringing was gone from her ears. Steve was on his feet in a second, scanning the rubble for any sign of an attacker.

Darcy rolled over and grabbed Jane’s shoulder. “You okay?” she asked. Jane stared at her dazedly, so Darcy did a visual once-over, did not see any blood, and moved on to Pepper. Pepper pushed herself up, her hands fluttering around her throat, and then her ear.

“Yes, yes, I’m here,” she said, pressing a finger to the earpiece. “I’m fine. Just go.”

Steve leaned down and helped Darcy to her feet. “Are you hurt?” he demanded. She shook her head.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll take care of Pepper and Jane. You go.”

He nodded and took off in the direction of the explosion. All around her people were struggling to their feet and the wounded were crying out in fear and pain. Darcy helped Jane up, and then Pepper. “We need to get out of here,” Darcy said.

“We need to evacuate the survivors,” Pepper said, looking a little dizzy. She pressed her finger to her ear again. “Jarvis, was there any structural damage from the blast?” She looked up. “Elevators are out, but the stairs should be safe. Let’s get everyone moving.”

“Has someone called 911?” Jane asked thickly, reaching up to rub her temples.

“Jarvis has already notified the authorities,” Pepper said. “Our building security is on their way.”

As she spoke, men in security uniforms arrived, fanning out through the room, two approached Pepper, but she waved them off. She hobbled forward a few steps, and then kicked off her heels before continuing on toward the nearest guest. Darcy started after her, stopping to guide the nearest person toward the door. Darcy had resorted to physically shoving a couple of people toward the stairs.

There was a sudden scream that ended in a choked-off gurgle, and then the ground shook underfoot again. There was a series of crashes, and the remaining people in the ballroom started screaming and scrambling to get out of the way. Darcy ducked and threw her arms up to cover her head when the already damaged wall disintegrated into splinters and a huge, green form burst through.

“Oh, _shit_ ,” Darcy whispered, staring at the Hulk with wide eyes. The former Dr Banner cast around the room, grunting to himself, and knuckle-walked forward a few paces, eyes squinted in suspicion. Darcy grabbed Jane’s arm and dragged her towards the stairs. “Go, go!” Darcy whirled around and saw security personnel whisking Pepper down another stairwell.

Darcy had precisely three seconds to formulate a plan. The Hulk could not be allowed to run rampant through the tower. There were too many civilians in the way. So when the Hulk made a sudden lunge for the nearest stairwell, Darcy threw herself in his way.

She held up her hands to show they were empty as the Hulk skidded to a halt, surprised that so tiny a person would challenge him. “Wait,” she said. “Hey, just wait, okay? Listen to me. Dr Banner, I know you can hear me.”

The Hulk snorted and shook dust from his dark, curly hair and slammed his fists into the floor, cracking the wooden panels. He lunged forward again and Darcy skipped backwards, but didn’t get out of his way.

“I know you’re scared,” she told him. “I know you’re probably hurt, and you’re mad. I get it. But please, I need you to listen to me. Everything’s going to be okay.” She let the norn in her leak into her voice, hoping it would give added emphasis to her words.

The Hulk shook his head again and then peered down at her as if seeing her for the first time. She smiled reassuringly at him, her hands still raised. “That’s it,” she said soothingly. “Just listen to my voice. Okay? Everything is okay.”

The Hulk growled and then rumbled deep in his throat. “Bad… men,” he said with difficulty, swinging his head back and forth.

“Yeah, there were bad men, but they’re not here right now,” Darcy said gently. “Your friends are going to look for them. Remember? Captain America and Iron Man?”

“Bad men,” The Hulk insisted, and moved forward, faster than his bulk should his bulk should have allowed.

Darcy gasped and threw her arms up around her head when she felt a strong, bruising grip snatch her off her feet. It took her several seconds to realize she was not being pulverized, but was instead smashed against a broad, bare chest while the Hulk bounded forward on three limbs, heading straight into the stairwell. Eschewing the stairs themselves, the Hulk jumped straight down the center shaft. Darcy swallowed a scream as they dropped, clutching at the arm that held her secure.

They hit the ground hard enough to crack the cement floor, and the Hulk lowered his shoulder and rammed through the wall, as the door was not big enough. Darcy had just enough time to see a cluster of men in the lobby wearing black riot gear before they opened fire on the Hulk with machine guns.

The Hulk curled protectively around Darcy, bullets ricocheting off his thick skin. Darcy huddled further into the Hulk’s arms, closing her eyes tight and praying fervently she wouldn’t get hit. With a roar of anger, the Hulk swept an arm out, backhanding three of the attackers off their feet. They flew through the air and hit the walls with wet thuds.

The Hulk crossed the lobby in two bounds and burst through the glass front into the secure courtyard. As terrified as she had been about him loose in the Tower, Darcy was even more scared of what would happen if he was loose in Manhattan.

“Dr Banner!” Darcy yelled at the top of her lungs. “I need you to listen to me! You need to stop!”

He looked down at her with a grunt, lips curled back in a snarl. She stared back at him pleadingly. “You can’t leave the Tower,” she told him earnestly. “You have to stay here. I know there are men with guns, but you can’t go into the city.”

He hesitated, and then whirled around when more bullets hit his back. There were more men facing the Hulk, firing machine guns at him. The Hulk raised his free arm to shield his face, and then bounded forward with a roar. Darcy ducked her head and screwed her eyes closed.

There was a massive crash that Darcy felt reverberate through the Hulk’s body, a jerk, and several bouncy steps. When she opened her eyes, they were standing in the middle of the street, cars screeching to stops around them. Darcy felt her own panic rising and could only imagine what it was like for him.

“Darcy!” Darcy twisted in the Hulk’s grip at the sound of her name and saw Steve jogging toward them. His tuxedo was a ruined mess but he’d somehow managed to grab his shield.

“I’m okay!” she yelled back at him, waving.

“Are you sure?” he demanded, stopping a respectful distance away. The Hulk caught sight of Steve and lumbered toward him a few steps. Steve held his ground. “Hey, there, big guy. Remember me?”

“Smash,” the Hulk rumbled, bobbing his head.

“Not this time, my friend,” Steve said calmly. He gestured toward Darcy with his free hand. “Can you put her down for me? I don’t think she’s in danger anymore. You got her to safety.”

The Hulk swung his head between Steve and Darcy for a moment. “It’s okay,” Darcy assured him. “It’s safe, now.”

The Hulk shuffled towards Steve again, until he was standing right in front of the Captain. Then he slowly lowered Darcy to the ground. Steve looped his arm around Darcy’s waist to keep her upright when her legs threatened to give out.

“Hey, I got you,” Steve said softly. “You good?”

“I’m good,” Darcy said breathlessly. “What the hell happened?”

“Not sure yet,” Steve told her. “There are gunmen in the building. Stark’s taking care of them. I came after Dr Banner, make sure he was contained.”

“Jane and Pepper?” Darcy demanded.

“Safe,” Steve assured her. “Security got them to a panic room.”

Darcy nodded. “You need to go, help Stark. I’ll stay here with Jolly Green.”

Steve frowned at her. “Are you sure?”

“I think I can handle him,” Darcy told him. “He responds to the norn pretty well.”

Steve still looked doubtful. Darcy pushed him back toward Stark Tower. “Go,” she ordered. “Iron Man can’t clear the whole building by himself.”

Steve reached up and took a bud out of his ear and handed it to her. “This connects with Jarvis. You need anything, you let him know, okay?”

Darcy took it and placed it in her own ear. “Got it. Now get moving.”

Steve nodded and took off back toward the Tower. Darcy tapped the earbud experimentally. “Jarvis, you there?”

“At your service, Miss Lewis,” the AI replied.

“Can you have New York police form a perimeter around me and Dr Banner? Make sure they stay a safe distance away, we need to keep anything from setting him off. I don’t know how long I can keep him calm.”

“Right away, Miss Lewis,” Jarvis replied.

Darcy looked up at the Hulk, who was hunched over, staring at her expectantly. “How about you and me just sit here quietly and wait for this to all blow over?” she said, still letting the norn power fill her voice. The Hulk obligingly plopped down and scooped her up in his arms, cradling her like an infant against his chest.

“Okay,” Darcy said, caught off guard. “Okay, that’s good. That is all… good. Hey, do you want to hear about the time I almost burned my grandmother’s kitchen down? I was eight, and she’d just started teaching me how to cook... “

Darcy talked continuously as she watched the NYPD set up a perimeter around them. When the Hulk noticed them and coiled his muscles angrily, she turned the full force of her norn power on him until he relaxed again, going back to listening to her stories. She talked until her throat was sore, keeping an eye on the smoke rising from Stark Tower.

It felt like hours before she saw Steve, still in his tuxedo and carrying his shield, and Tony, wearing an Iron Man suit, walk from the building towards them. The Hulk caught sight of them immediately and raised his head, sniffing the air as they approached.

“Yo, Bruce,” Tony called as they passed the police barrier. “Any chance you’re done being the mean, green, rage machine and ready to go back to mild-mannered Dr Jekyll?”

“Dude, not funny,” Darcy said as the Hulk shifted around. Tony walked fearlessly right up to the Hulk and slapped his arm.

“Getting sleepy?” he asked jovially. “Come on, don’t you want a nice nap? Catch a few z’s? Grab forty winks?”

The Hulk raised a hand and tapped Tony’s helmet with one fingernail, hard enough to knock the inventor off balance. “Hey, watch the suit, buddy!” Tony protested.

“Darcy, how’s he doing?” Steve called.

“He’s calm,” Darcy reported. “I’ve been keeping him distracted, but he’s got the attention span of a three-year-old. How long does his Hulk sessions usually last?”

“It varies,” Tony replied. “Depending on how much adrenaline he gets going. He’s been calm for over an hour, he should be winding down soon. You comfy up there?”

“I’ve had better, but it’s not bad,” Darcy said. “I think Clint definitely has worse BO than the Hulk does.”

“I’m gonna tell him you said that,” Steve said with a relieved grin.

“Go ahead,” Darcy shot back. “We had to shampoo the couch after that mission in South Africa.”

The Hulk abruptly tilted over, curling up on his side on the asphalt. Darcy squeaked in surprise as she tilted over with him, and then again, when his grip on her loosened. She found herself on her hands and knees next to an exhausted-looking Dr Banner, naked except for a pair of shredded dress pants.

“Sorry for the inconvenience,” he muttered before passing out.

Steve lifted Darcy to her feet and surprised her by enfolding her in a bear hug, pressing his face against her hair. “I’m okay,” she murmured in his ear, patting his back. “I’m okay, Steve. Really.”

He released her and stepped back, keeping his hands on her shoulders. “I know, I was just… I know he probably wouldn’t have hurt you but… ” He took a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too,” Darcy said unevenly. “Now I’d really like to see Jane. And get a drink. Like, a lot of drinks.”

“Drinks I can help you with,” Stark said, lifting Dr Banner easily in his arms. “Sorry you got stuck in the middle of all this.”

“Believe it or not, this is not the worst thing I’ve ever been through,” Darcy replied as they walked back toward the Tower. Steve wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her steady when she almost fell. Darcy decided to take a hint from Pepper and kicked off her shoes, leaving them in the street.

“How many people were hurt?” she asked Steve quietly.

“We’re not sure yet,” Steve replied, equally quietly.

“And the bad guys?”

Steve shook his head. “We didn’t capture anyone alive,” he said tightly.

“Great,” Darcy muttered. “This is the second time we’ve been attacked by mysterious bad guys with guns. Only now they used explosives.”

“We don’t know if it’s the same people,” Steve told her.

“And we just so happened to be attacked out of the blue by two separate organizations within two months of each other?” Darcy asked. “This doesn’t feel like a coincidence to me.”

They walked in silence for a moment, and then Steve lowered his voice even further. “You knew it was about to happen, didn’t you? You could sense it somehow.”

Darcy nodded. “Yeah. My ears started ringing, I smelled smoke. It was like I was reacting to it before it happened.”

“That’s good,” Steve said, nodding.

“It is?” Darcy asked, raising her eyebrows.

“This means you might have a chance at avoiding trouble in the future,” Steve replied. He suddenly turned and scooped her up off his feet in order to carry her across a patch of broken glass.

“Yeah, don’t count on it,” Darcy muttered.


	15. Assess The Sins She's Paid For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Guess what? We have passed 80k words and 200 pages! Woohoo! That makes this the longest individual project I've ever worked on. To celebrate, here is the longest chapter in the story so far!
> 
> Also, please note the rating and warnings on this story have changed. Due to some elements that are coming up in the story, I decided to be safe rather than sorry. I understand if this causes you to discontinue reading the story, and I thank you for staying with me this far!

“I will have you know that I successfully predicted the future today,” Darcy announced as soon as she realized she was in Loki’s cell.

Loki was at his desk, writing in a leather bound journal, and didn’t look up. “And what, exactly, did you predict?” he asked, seemingly disinterested.

“A bomb going off during the party I was at,” Darcy said casually, plopping down on the couch. It was rigid and not very comfortable. Darcy guessed that given Loki was sentenced to life in prison, he was not entitled to comfortable furniture.

At Darcy’s words, Loki’s head shot up and he stared at her for a long moment. He got to his feet and crossed over to her, taking her chin in one hand. He tilted her head to the side so he could examine the abrasion on one cheek.

“And you are not injured?” he asked.

Darcy leaned back out of his grasp. “I’m fine,” she said tersely. “I knew it was coming. I knew Jane was in danger so I got her out of the way.”

Loki clasped his hands behind his back and nodded. “It seems as if our lessons are paying off,” he said. “But do not become over-confident. You have not completely mastered that skill yet.”

“Of course not,” Darcy said sarcastically, slouching down. Steve had only let her go back to their guest quarters after getting checked out by a paramedic. Once she was given the all clear, she showered, made herself and Jane sandwiches, and went straight to bed. She’d been far more tired than she had expected. She guessed she used more of her norn powers than she thought.

“This is the second time I’ve had men with guns attack the place I’m at,” Darcy told Loki. “And even though Steve was there both times, I’m pretty sure I was the common denominator.”

Loki raised his eyebrows. “You believe you are being targeted?”

Darcy shrugged. “It’s just a feeling, but I’ve learned the hard way that my instincts are right more often than not.”

“Indeed,” Loki replied. “This raises many questions. Someone is targeting you on Midgard, so who on Midgard knows you are a norn?”

“Steve,” Darcy said. “And there’s no way it’s him.”

“No,” Loki agreed. “Your dear Captain is far too noble to smile at your face and stab you in the back.”

“I’ll pass along your ringing endorsement,” Darcy said dryly.

“If the Captain is the only one on Midgard who knows your true identity,” Loki continued, ignoring her sarcasm, “Then we must assume that your enemy is not Midgardian, but has access to your realm.”

Darcy tapped her lips. “The people who have been attacking us are Midgardians--from Earth. Earthlings. Humans. Whatever. The point is, if whoever it is isn’t from Earth, they’re hiring Earth people to do it.”

Loki began to pace, brow furrowed. “And your abilities have given you no insight as to your attackers?”

“No,” Darcy said sullenly, crossing her arms.

Loki hummed to himself in thought. “I would suggest increasing your efforts to return to the Hall of Stars. Even if the other norns will not train you, they should assist in trying to find out who is attempting to assassinate you.”

Darcy scowled. “Assassinate. Awesome. At what point are you going to teach me to start fighting back?”

He stopped pacing and gave her a sharp look. “You would like to begin your combat training?”

“Well, _yeah_ . After all, there are people trying to _kill_ me. I can’t count on Captain America or the Hulk being around to save my ass all the time.”

A spasm of distaste flashed across Loki’s face at the mention of Dr Banners alter ego. “If you believe you are ready, we can begin.” He walked over to his desk and opened a large drawer. He pulled out the red and silver staves Darcy had seen him with before and walked back over to her.

She stared at the staves when he held them out to her. “And what am I supposed to do with those?” she demanded.

“They are your weapons,” Loki said impatiently.

“A pair of sticks,” Darcy said flatly, looking up at him.

“If you hadn’t noticed, we are currently in the _dungeon_ ,” Loki said icily. “There are spells preventing anyone from carrying or creating weapons inside the cells. These are the only thing that will not activate the spells.”

“So you’re going to teach me to bludgeon people to death with billy clubs?” Darcy asked dubiously, taking the staves. As her hands closed over the wood, she could feel the tingle of magic. “What did you do to them?”

“Basic magics,” Loki said dismissively. “To strengthen the wood, defend against foreign magic, and the such.”

The carvings in the wood helped with grip and they were a good weight. They fit perfectly in Darcy’s hands, as if they had been made for her. She realized that they _had_. She got to her feet and hefted them a couple of times before twirling them experimentally. “Okay,” she said. “What’s the first lesson?”

“Be sure you can store and summon them before we start anything else,” Loki told her. “You will need access to them wherever you go, here or on Midgard.”

Darcy stared at him askance. “I’ve never stored anything this size, much less _two_ of them!”

“Then you will need practice,” Loki told her. He gestured theatrically. “You may begin at any time.”

Darcy scowled at him again. “Jackass,” she muttered.

XxxXxxX

Darcy’s phone chirped from where it sat on the desk next to her. She picked it up to read the text. It was from Steve. _Where are you?_ She tapped out a quick reply, _in the lab_ , and put the phone back down. Tony had been kind enough to offer them a car and a driver to return them to DC and Jane, never one to let herself be distracted for long, had gone back to work the next morning, dragging Darcy along with her.

Darcy had been playing distract and deflect ever since the bombing, as she had had to assure her mother she was all right (curse the news reporters who had filmed her with the Hulk) and convince Jane that no, she had not had a panic attack right before the explosion, it was just a coincidence. She wasn’t sure if either of them actually believed her.

The lock on the lab clicked off and the door swung open to allow Steve to enter. He was in full uniform, his shield strapped to his back. Darcy pushed away from her desk to meet him. “Hey. What’s up?”

Steve was about to reply when something else caught his eye. “What is Dr Banner doing here?” he asked, looking through the observation window into the Tesseract chamber.

Darcy hooked a thumb over her shoulder. “The Tesseract’s radioactive signature changed sometime while we were gone and since Banner is the resident expert on Tesseract radiation... ” she trailed off with a shrug. Steve was silent for a moment.

“You okay with having him around?” he asked quietly.

“Oh, yeah,” Darcy said, waving a hand. “Trust me. The Hulk was so not the scariest thing I’ve ever dealt with. He was just a little… cuddly, actually. Dr Banner was very apologetic and a little embarrassed, I think. But it’s all fine.”

Steve nodded and tore his gaze away. “We were able to identify some of the attackers that were left behind,” he told her.

“The dead ones, you mean,” Darcy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Yes,” Steve hedged.

“And?” Darcy prompted.

“You were right, actually,” he said. “We’ve been able to find a few connections with the mercenary group we tracked down a couple months ago. They all received payments from the same dummy account.”

“Is SHIELD going to track the account?” Darcy asked.

“It’s been deactivated,” Steve explained, shaking his head.

Darcy sighed. “What was the final casualty list? Oh, and Jane’s been bugging me nonstop, did Dr Tyson make it out okay?”

“Dr Tyson was treated for minor burns,” Steve told her. “Final count was thirty-four injured, twelve dead.”

Darcy pinched the bridge of her nose. “How many of those were bad guys?”

“Eight,” Steve replied.

“Fuck,” Darcy muttered under her breath.

“Something wrong?” Steve asked.

Darcy sighed again and dropped her hand. “I just feel like I should know what the hell is going on with these attacks,” she said, frustrated. “And I have the strongest feeling that I’m the target. That they’re coming after _me_.”

“Which would be a very bad thing because no one is supposed to know you’re anything other than a laboratory intern,” Steve pointed out.

“Exactly,” Darcy agreed. “If I could just communicate with the other norns, maybe I could…” She shook her head. “They haven’t been on Asgard in the last few days, and I haven’t been able to make it back to the Hall of Stars in a while.”

“The Hall of Stars,” Steve said. “Run that one by me again?”

“It’s a construct,” Darcy explained carefully. “Created out of the collective minds of the norns. It exists in a sort of fifth dimension, separate, but connected to this one. Apparently it touches all of time and space at the same time.”

Steve stared at her for a couple of seconds. “Right,” he said eventually, his voice flat with disbelief.

“Look, I don’t understand it either,” Darcy said with a huff. “I just know it’s _there_ and apparently I can only go there when I’m dying.”

“Is there any other way you can contact them?” Steve asked.

Darcy shrugged. “I’ve kinda low-key been trying, but no dice.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’ll keep trying, but no promises I’ll have any luck. Sorry.”

Steve sighed faintly. “It’s not your fault. But if you’re right, and you’re the target, then we’re gonna need to be more careful.”

Darcy scowled at him. “You are not going to put me under twenty-four hour security,” she told him firmly.

“No, we can’t, because we don’t want anyone to know what you are,” Steve agreed. He reached into a pocket on his suit and pulled out a ridiculously slender cell phone. “Here.”

She took it cautiously. “What is this?” she asked warily.

“It’s a Stark phone,” Steve told her. “It’s all set up, all you have to do is transfer your contacts.”

Darcy looked from Steve to the phone and back. “Why?” she asked.

“I can track the location of this phone a lot better than your old one,” Steve replied. “I’ll be able to see where you are at any given time. It also has a panic button that will alert me if you’re in trouble, and if you can’t hit the button manually, you can activate it with a voice command. You just have to choose the command.”

“This is a little much, isn’t it?” Darcy asked, still holding the phone gingerly. “I mean, who’s even paying for this thing?”

“Stark,” Steve said.

Darcy raised her eyebrows. “You told him?” she asked in disbelief.

“I told him you have a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Steve said. “And that I wanted a better way of keeping an eye on you. I’ve got one for Jane, too, just in case.”

Darcy weighed her options for a moment. “Okay, say I accept this. Are you going to turn into the whole jealous ex-boyfriend and want to know why I’m going places?”

Steve flushed red. “I’m not-- Darcy, you know I’m not trying to-- _Jealous--_ ”

Darcy held up her hand. “Breathe, Steve. That was a joke.”

Steve glared at her, the color fading from his cheeks. “It’s none of my business where you go, Darcy,” he said. “I just want to make sure I can get help to you as soon as possible.”

“Okay,” Darcy said again. “I’ll go along with this. For now. But I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.”

“Fair enough,” Steve said. “This will at least let me feel better.”

Darcy held out her hand. “Gimme Jane’s. I’ll make sure she gets it.”

Steve handed over the second Stark phone. “I’m going to be gone for a while,” Steve told her. “While I’m gone, Clint’s gonna monitor these for me. That okay with you?”

Darcy waved a hand. “Yeah, sure. Where you going? Oh, wait, never mind. Classified. Got it. I’ll water your plants and dump your milk.”

“Thanks,” Steve said. “And Darcy, be careful.”

“Do my best.” Darcy saluted jokingly. “Knock ‘em dead, Captain.”

He gave her an exasperated look and then hugged her. “I’m serious, Darcy. Watch your back.”

“You, too,” she told him. She pocketed her new phone as he left, and put Jane’s on her desk. She really needed to get to the bottom of this, and fast.

XxxXxxX

Darcy held the stave in her hand, balanced across her palm. She stared hard at it, her brow furrowed in concentration. She focused all her attention, all her power on it. It remained stubbornly present, ignoring all her efforts to make it otherwise. With a frustrated sigh, Darcy collapsed backwards in her chair, resisting the urge to fling the stave across the cell.

“You are overthinking,” Loki admonished, coming over to stand in front of her. He crouched down so he was at her eye level, and took hold of her hand, turning it over so the stave was once more balanced over her palm.

Darcy was suddenly very aware of his hand supporting hers. His skin was cool to the touch, his palm and fingers calloused but not rough. She blinked a couple of times to clear her head and belatedly realized he had said something.

“Overthinking?” she echoed. “How am I overthinking it? I’m _concentrating_.”

“It won’t help you to _concentrate,_ ” Loki told her. “Seidr is not about thought. It’s about will and instinct. You have to _feel_ the power.”

“Feel the power,” Darcy said, rolling her eyes. “Right.”

“Try again,” Loki instructed, and he did not remove his hand. Darcy shouldn’t have found the contact distracting, but when she closed her eyes to try again, the only thing she could _feel_ was his intense focus on her, the knot of barely-controlled anxiety and rage that seemed to always boil under the surface, and something else, something primal…

Darcy jerked her hand away from his, leaning as far away from him as the couch allowed. Loki frowned at her sharp movement, but rocked back on his heels, dropping his hands. Darcy drew in a deep breath and scowled at him.

“Well, I’m not gonna be able to do with you hovering over me,” she snapped. Loki glared back at her and stood, walking over to stand by his desk.

“Better?” he asked sarcastically.

Darcy continued to scowl at him and then screwed her eyes closed, taking another deep breath. She reached out with her senses until she could _feel_ the pocket dimension she’d created. It was simple enough to slip a hairpin through the fissure between this dimension and that one, but it took a lot of power to hold the fissure open. She breathed deep again, pushing away the distracting thoughts, and focused on her instincts. For a moment nothing happened, and then Darcy felt the fissure widen and she slid the stave through. It vanished from her palm and her eyes snapped open.

“Holy crap, I did it!” Darcy exclaimed in surprise, staring down at her empty hand.

Loki walked over and slapped the second stave down in her still-extended palm. “Excellent,” he said flatly. “Now the other one.”

Darcy closed her hand over the stave and growled. Before she had the chance, however, she saw movement outside Loki’s cell and squeaked in alarm, shoving to her feet. She shook her bracelet out of her sleeve, intending to leave, but it was already too late. They had been seen.

The newcomer was not, as Darcy had feared, an Einherjar, but a woman, dressed in brown trousers, a rust-colored tunic, and a navy blue shawl-like wrap around her shoulders, belted at the waist with a short sword. Her chestnut hair was braided in narrow rows on the left side of her head and hung loose on the right side save for more slender braids strung with bronze beads.

“Lady Sigyn,” the woman called, her voice distorted through the force field. “I am Eydis, the lagsmaðr of Lady Skaði. My lady wishes to speak with you.”

Loki glanced at Darcy quickly, and she nodded fractionally. Only the norns called her “Sigyn.” She got to her feet and handed the remaining stave back to Loki. She walked over to the edge of the cell, held her breath, and stepped through the barrier.

“Take me to your lady,” Darcy told Eydis, raising her chin.

Eydis was a good six inches taller than Darcy, but the woman bowed low at the waist before turning to walk out of the dungeons. Darcy threw a look over her shoulder as she followed, to see Loki standing in front of the barrier, watching her leave with a thoughtful look on his face.

Eydis led Darcy out of the dungeons and into the palace. As they walked, Darcy racked her brain for any information on Skaði. Unfortunately, it was usually sight that triggered her latent memories, and she was sure she’d never met anyone by that name before.

They came to a door in the residential area of the palace, not anywhere Darcy had ever been before, and Eydis stood aside so Darcy could enter. Darcy stepped into the sitting room warily, quickly glancing around to find the other occupant. And, as soon as her eyes landed on the person in question, Darcy _remembered_.

Skaði was almost as tall as Eydis, with dark brown hair pinned up in an intricate chignon. She had bangs cut straight across her forehead, highlighting her dark green eyes. She wore the now-familiar white gown of the norns, and over it she wore a floor-length black sleeveless tunic. The silver horned moon was bound to her brow with a white ribbon. As soon as she saw Darcy, she broke into a sunny smile and held out her hands.

Darcy broke into a matching smile and hurried over to greet the other norn, clasping her hands tightly and kissing her cheek lightly. She _remembered_ Skaði; not everything, of course, but enough. Like the fact that Skaði was her twin, born at the same moment as she, raised together, trained together, all but inseparable until her death on Midgard.

“My dearest Sigyn,” Skaði said, holding Darcy’s hands up to her chest. “I have waited so long to see you again. My heart ached for you.” She released one hand so she could cup Darcy’s cheek. “It is so _good_ to see you again.”

“It’s great to see you, too,” Darcy said earnestly. “I didn’t realize how much I missed you until just now, but, wow. I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Embla told me you’d been injured,” Skaði said worriedly. “You look healed. Are you well healed?”

“I’m all better, don’t worry,” Darcy assured her. Skaði nodded and stepped back, fully releasing Darcy, and looked her up and down for a moment. She reached out and touched Darcy’s hair.

“Your vessel is very beautiful,” Skaði said with a small smile. “You look very much like you used to.”

“Oh, um, thanks?” Darcy mumbled, blushing. She was unused to such compliments. Usually she got bawdy comments from men about her body, or passive aggressive comments from jealous women whose boyfriends had been staring at her chest for too long.

“I should tell you straight away that I have gone to Midgard from time to time to search for you before, but you were never awakened,” Skaði told her. “But I do not want you to think that I did anything improper.”

“No, it’s fine,” Darcy said quickly. “I would have done the same, probably.”

“Come, sit,” Skaði invited, gesturing toward a couple of couches. “Eydis, can you bring us some tea?”

“Of course, my lady,” Eydis said with a fond smile, and left the room.

“What brings you to Asgard?” Darcy asked as they sat down.

“You, of course,” Skaði told her. “Embla was practically bursting with the news when I returned to the Hall of Stars. She could barely contain herself. She said you came here regularly, that you had interest in one of the Asgardians. The disgraced prince, yes?”

Darcy clenched her jaw and looked away, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. Skaði leaned forward to touch her hand.

“Sister, don’t be alarmed. I don’t care who you associate with. My own lagsmaðr was a common bandit before I bonded her. You will find that the norns have a different sort of standards.”

Darcy looked up again, eyes narrowed. “What is a lagsmaðr?” she asked. “I recognize the word, but I’m having trouble remembering.”

Eydis returned at that moment, carrying a tray with three cups and a steaming kettle. She placed the tray on the table and poured a cup, handing it to Skaði. “Eydis,” the norn said with an almost smug smile. “Tell my dear sister what a lagsmaðr is.” As Skaði took the cup of tea, her fingers lingered in contact with Eydis’.

Eydis held Skaði’s gaze as she replied. “The lagsmaðr have many roles,” she said. “We are companions, guardians, and caretakers for the norns. We pledge our lives to their service.”

Darcy frowned. “What do you get in return?” she asked. “I mean, is this kind of a give-and-take relationship, or we talking indentured servitude?”

Skaði gave her a shocked look. “We would never take a lagsmaðr against their will!” she exclaimed.

“It was my choice to be bonded to Skaði,” Eydis assured Darcy. “In return I have restored my honor, I am respected wherever I go, I am clothed and fed in the utmost luxury, and I have gained a true friend and companion.”

Darcy looked between Skaði and Eydis. “Companion,” she said flatly. “Could also be called a _partner_.”

Skaði nodded. “Yes, one could use that word.”

“Uh-huh.” Darcy took a sip of the tea Eydis had poured for her.

“As I was saying,” Skaði said, drawing them back from the rabbit trail. “If you do have an interest in the prince, I for one will say nothing against it.”

“Well, you’d be the only one,” Darcy said dryly.

“What drew you to him?” Skaði asked with interest.

Darcy stared at her with wide eyes for a moment. “Uh...nothing really. I kept dreamwalking to his cell and couldn’t figure out how to stop.”

Skaði laughed. “Ah, yes. I forget how young you are in this vessel. I remember when we were children. Dreamwalking was very difficult for us to master. I thought Skuld was going to give up on us.”

“So we were… children, at some point?” Darcy asked hesitantly. “We didn’t just, I dunno, spring into existence?”

“Of course not,” Skaði said giving her an odd look. “What precisely _do_ you remember, Sigyn?”

“Not a lot, actually,” Darcy admitted.

The other norn nodded sagely and sipped her tea. When she didn’t seem inclined to answer Darcy’s question, Darcy pressed on. “I do remember something, but I don’t know if it’s in the future, or the past.”

Skaði looked up with a frown. “What is it?”

“I… died,” Darcy said slowly. “I was at this place, a village, and an alien named Thanos was there.”

Skaði lowered her cup, her expression suddenly grim. “Go on,” she ordered in a steely voice.

“He was after a stone, an Infinity Stone,” Darcy continued, eying the other norn warily. “I wouldn’t let him pass, and he ran his sword through my chest.”

Skaði looked down, and then up again at Darcy. “You will be happy to know that memory is in the past,” she said tightly. “Though the thought of it pains me. That was the day we lost you for the first time, and we have been losing you once a century ever since.”

“You were there, weren’t you?” Darcy asked softly. “I remember my sisters being there.”

“We were moving the Stone out of Thanos’ reach,” Skaði told her. “Because of you, we were successful that day.”

Darcy nodded. “Good to know my sacrifice wasn’t wasted,” she said.

Skaði looked horrified at the thought. “A norn was _murdered_ , Sigyn! That has never happened in the history of the universe! Of course we would not have let your death be in vain.” She managed to give Darcy a smile. “Seeing you now, almost fully awakened, it is the first time I think I have been truly happy since you were killed.”

Darcy swallowed against a suddenly tight throat, tears pricking at her eyes. “I’m happy you’re here, too,” she said honestly. She impulsively leaned over and hugged Skaði.

Skaði did not hug like the other norns, a polite press of hands to the other’s back. Skaði wrapped her arms around Darcy and squeezed, burying her face against the side of Darcy’s neck. Darcy found herself clinging back just as hard. As few memories as she had of the other norn, the feeling of love and companionship were strong. It felt like she had known Skaði for years, _lifetimes_. Which, of course, she had. She just couldn’t remember all of it.

When Skaði finally released her, the norn’s eyes were just as misty as Darcy’s. She clasped one of Darcy’s hands in both of hers. “Now tell me of this vessel’s human life,” she said eagerly. “Tell me of your childhood. Tell me everything.”

Darcy laughed, blinking away the threat of tears. “Well, I was born in Philadelphia, and I have three older brothers…”

XxxXxxX

Of all places Darcy expected to be when she went to sleep that night, a middle of a fire fight wasn’t one of them. As soon as she realized that there were bullets flying, she dove towards the nearest shelter. She looked around, trying to take stock of her surroundings.

She was in the middle of a dock or warehouse district. She could smell brackish water nearby but she stood in a maze of giant shipping containers. She could see warehouses in the distance, and a cluster of souped-up armored trucks.

Bullets pinged against the container she was ducking behind, and she looked up to see a man wearing hobbled-together tactical gear running along the tops of the containers, spraying bullets down below. In a few seconds, he’d be on top of her hiding place.

With a muttered curse, Darcy darted out into the open, running in a zig-zag to the next point of cover. Her senses were threatening to overwhelm her, trying to tell her a thousand things at once. She took a couple of deep breaths, and immersed herself in the norn.

With time slowed down, she could hear the bullets traveling through the air, a sort of high-pitched whine. She could hear the heartbeats of every person on the battlefield. She focused on that for a moment, looking for someone familiar…

She found him quickly, like she thought she would. After all, she’d only ever dreamwalked one other place besides Asgard. Finding a gap in the rain of bullets, Darcy once more broke cover, running flat-out across as space in the shipping containers. She was just glad she had been too tired to change out of her gym clothes.

Steve flinched when Darcy flung herself against the shipping container he was crouched behind. “Darcy? What the hell are you doing here?”

“Didn’t chose to be, trust me,” Darcy panted, more from excitement than exertion. Apparently taking up jogging had been a good idea. “I dozed off on the couch, and wham! I’m here. Where the fuck is here, anyway?”

“Estonia,” Steve replied tightly. “And you shouldn’t be here. You need to leave.”

“Happy to,” Darcy said, and reached for her bracelet. Her wrist was bare. She cursed again, remembering that she had removed it, anticipating a shower. “Uh… slight problem.”

“What?” Steve demanded, exasperated.

“I… sort of can’t leave,” Darcy admitted.

Steve stared at her for a moment, and then sighed heavily. “Great. Fantastic. Fine. Just… stay out of the way. Don’t get shot.”

“I’m not _trying_ to!” Darcy snapped.

Steve leaned around the edge of the container for half a second to get a look at the enemy, but had to duck back when bullets pinged off the metal. “Fuck,” he spat to himself.

“Hang on, I got this,” Darcy said, and closed her eyes, listening for the heartbeats again. “Okay, you’ve got someone there, there, and there,” she told him, pointing with her eyes still closed. “And another on the way from there.” She opened her eyes in time to see Steve take a step back from the container.

He slid his shield off his arm and held it like a giant frisbee. He braced himself, and then flung it off to the side with all his strength. There was a metallic clank, a meaty thud, a cut-off scream, and then the shield spun around from the opposite side, straight into Steve’s hand.

“Nice,” Darcy said appreciatively.

“Can you tell where the STRIKE team is?” Steve demanded. “They’re jamming our radio channel.”

“Doesn’t SHIELD have its own  encrypted channel or something?” Darcy asked, eyes wide.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, too,” Steve replied flatly.

“Okay, gimme a minute,” Darcy told him, and closed her eyes again. She took a deep breath, extended her hands, and fell fully into the norn trance.

It felt as if she was outside her body, looking at the scene from above. She could see herself standing immobile, Steve hovering over her. She quickly scanned the rest of the battlefield, picking out friend from foe. It only took her a couple of seconds. Then she unceremoniously jammed herself back into her body.

Darcy tipped over and fell hard on the concrete ground, scraping her hip and shoulder. It took her several precious seconds to acclimate to having a body again. Her vision cleared to see Steve crouching over her, shield raised protectively.

“You okay?” he demanded.

“Fine,” she said breathlessly, and pointed. “Your team is pinned down behind the blue shipping container, about thirty yards that way.”

“All of them?” Steve asked.

“No,” Darcy continued. “Natasha is chasing that one fucker over the top of the containers, heading south.”

“Shit,” Steve said. “I told her to cover our right flank. She never fucking listens.”

“Listen to the mouth on you,” Darcy said with a tight smirk. “Hypocrite.”

“Shut up,” Steve told her. “We need to get to my team, get them out of there. Will _you_ follow orders?”

Darcy pushed herself into an upright position and saluted. “Yes, _sir_.”

Steve gave her an assessing look. “Think you can keep up with me?”

“I can try,” Darcy said. “I have been told my dreamwalker form is more capable of shit than my real one. Let’s see if that’s true.”

“Okay. Stay behind me.” Steve got to his feet and pulled her up after him. “Let’s move!”

Darcy was pleased to note that she only lagged behind a couple of yards as Steve bolted out from cover, and boy, that man could _move_. Darcy had never pushed her dreamwalker form this hard, but then again, she’d never really been this motivated. She kept a metaphysical ear out for incoming fire and spent the rest of her energy and focus on keeping up with Steve.

They reached the next point of cover and ducked down, Darcy’s chest heaving. Steve looked at her with some surprise. “Nice job,” he said.

“Thanks,” Darcy gasped. “Please let’s not do that again.”

“No, I need you to stay here,” Steve told her. “I’ll be right back.” As he turned to leave, Darcy grabbed his wrist.

“Count to twenty,” she told him. “Then duck.” He stared at her for a heartbeat, then nodded. She let go of him and he disappeared. Darcy counted in her head. When she reached twenty she heard a gunshot, a metallic ricochet, and a wet thud. She bit her lip until it bled, and then Steve dove back into cover beside her.

“Thanks,” he said, panting.

“Don’t mention it,” she replied, finally catching her breath. “We have thirty seconds to get to your team before they start throwing grenades.”

“Grenades,” Steve echoed. “Great. All right, let’s go.”

They jogged the remaining distance to where a cluster of men in black SHIELD gear crouched back-to-back behind shipping containers stacked three high. Unfortunately there was a gap of open space about seventy-five feet long between them.

One of the STRIKE team caught sight of Steve and gestured at him, using hand signals to relay his message.

“Sniper,” Steve said in disgust.

Darcy twisted to look. “Yeah, he’s in that crane tower.” She pointed. “How strong are you?”

Steve gave her a strange look. “Why?”

Darcy banged her fist on the container they were hiding behind. “This thing is empty. If you could push it forward, it’ll block the sniper’s line of sight, and you can get your team out of there.”

Steve looked from her to the container, and slung his shield onto the harness across his shoulders. “All right,” he muttered under his breath. “Why not?”

He hooked his hands into the ridges on the side of the container, planted his feet, and pulled with all of his strength. At first the container didn’t budge, but then it slid forward a few inches, then a few inches more. Then it moved a good yard and a half. Steve changed positions so he was pushing it, and threw his weight into the container.

It took an agonizing five minutes, but Steve finally got the container into position. The STRIKE team filed across one at a time, crouched over to stay inside cover. One of them, a dark-haired man with angular features, eyed Darcy suspiciously.

“Who’s this, Cap?” he demanded in a gravely voice.

“Civilian,” Steve replied tersely. “Got caught in the crossfire. Let’s move out!”

Darcy stayed right behind Steve as they made a wide circle, hoping to outflank the enemy. As the got closer to the trucks Darcy had seen earlier, she sensed something about one of them. She tapped Steve’s arm to get his attention.

“That truck has the jamming equipment,” she whispered, pointing to the truck in question.

Steve glanced in the direction she indicated. “Rollins!” he barked.

A large, muscular man with slicked-back hair shoved to the front of the group. “Sir?”

Steve pointed at the truck Darcy had singled out. “Blow that truck,” he ordered.

Rollins shouldered his machine gun, which had a grenade launcher attached to the top. “Yes, sir,” he said with a smirk, and pulled the trigger. The truck exploded into an orange fireball, and all of the SHIELD agents, including Steve, flinched at the same time, hands coming up to their ears.

Steve pressed a finger to his right ear. “Natasha, status report!” he said sharply. He listened to the reply and nodded. “All right. We’re headed that way, rendezvous at the bravo point.” Then he turned to Darcy. “If Natasha sees you, the game’s up,” he said in a low voice.

Darcy nodded. “I know. I’ll head that way,” Darcy pointed. “Find somewhere to hunker down until I can get the hell out of Dodge. Sorry to crash the party.”

“Especially after I specifically told you not to dreamwalk into the middle of my missions,” Steve told her dryly. “Okay. Get out of here. Keep your head down.”

She saluted him again, and turned to crouch-walk until her senses told her it was safe to stand upright and run. She wove between the shipping containers, heading toward the edge of the docks. She could hear gunfire behind her, and then another explosion. She flinched, and then calmed herself. Steve was fine. Natasha was fine. If they weren’t, she would have felt it.

Darcy finally found a safe place and dropped to the ground, drawing her knees up to her chest as she fought to slow her racing pulse. She’d put a brave face on for Steve, but she’d been terrified the whole time. Just like she’d been terrified in the farmer’s market, in New York, and even way back in Puente Antiguo, with the Destroyer. She was not a soldier, she was norn, for crying out loud. Norn’s didn’t _fight_.

Darcy closed her eyes and tried to will herself away, tried to find that calm center that would allow her to wake up, swim to the surface. But she’d come to rely too heavily on the bracelet, and now without it she was stranded.

She grew lightheaded without realizing she’d been holding her breath, and then she felt as if she was floating. Darkness started to encroach on her vision, her world bleeding away like water down a drain…

_Skaði gripped Darcy’s arms in a strong grasp and shook her gently. “Sigyn!” she called, peering closely at Darcy’s face. “Can you hear me?”_

_“Yeah,” Darcy gasped, and looked around. She was in the Hall of Stars, standing by one of the gnarled, silver pillars. “What just happened?”_

_“You were in danger, so I brought you here,” Skaði said, letting go of Darcy’s arms. “What were you thinking, putting yourself in that situation?”_

_“I didn’t mean to,” Darcy protested. She looked down. She was wearing the white gown she was realizing must be some kind of uniform. Her hair, which had been pulled back, was now loose around her shoulders. She reached up. There was a ribbon bound around her forehead. She pulled it off. The ribbon was a deep purple color, and held the silver crescent moon token of the norns._

_“How did you bring me here?” she asked her sister._

_“Any norn can bring anyone to the Hall of stars,” Skaði told her. She took the ribbon from Darcy’s hands and secured it around her forehead again. “I suppose you will have to relearn to do this.”_

_“My lady, it is done.”_

_Darcy whirled around to see Eydis standing a few paces away, cleaning her sword with a rag. The rag was already stained with red splotches. “What did you do?” Darcy demanded._

_Eydis looked at her. “My lady commanded me to protect the Humans you were with, to destroy their enemies.” Darcy twisted back around to stare at Skaði._

_“Do not look at me thus,” Skaði said defensively. “I felt how much you cared about them. I did not wish you to lose your friends.”_

_“They don’t know I’m a norn!” Darcy burst out. “If they saw her, if they realized--”_

_“They did not see me,” Eydis interrupted, sheathing her sword._

_Darcy blew out a long breath, and then clutched at her forehead. “Thank you,” she muttered. “I really would have been upset if anything had happened to them.”_

_Skaði walked over to Darcy and took her hand gently. “Sigyn, my sweet sister, you must accept the fact that we, the norns, are your_ family _. We only want to help you, to protect you. You must begin to trust us.”_

_Darcy sighed and met Skaði’s eyes. “I know,” she said honestly. “I’ve just… I’ve kept who I am a secret for so long, that trust doesn’t come easy for me.”_

_Skaði leaned forward and brushed a finger along Darcy’s nose playfully. “What you need is a lagsmaðr,” she said with a teasing smile. “So you don’t have to run around playing the warrior.”_

_“What I need is a drink and a fucking vacation,” Darcy said with a groan._

_Skaði hooked her arm through Darcy’s. “A vacation, I cannot help you with. A drink, however, I can do. Come with me, sister.”_


	16. Cold And Alone, It Suits You Well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *uncontrolled evil cackling*

Whatever it was that Skaði had given her, Darcy slept like the dead until Jane threw a pillow at her face and yelled, “Answer your damn phone, Darcy!”

Darcy stirred sluggishly and raised her head. She was lying face-down on the couch, still in her workout clothes. She felt woozy and groggy, and her mouth was dry as hell, but she didn’t have a headache. Her phone was buzzing on the coffee table. Darcy flailed around until she was able to snatch it up.

“Lo?” she mumbled.

“ _Darcy_. Where the hell are you?” demanded Steve’s worried voice. “I’ve called you six times.”

“Was ‘sleep,” Darcy muttered. She pulled her phone away from her face to check. She had six missed calls, two voicemails, and eleven texts, all from Steve.

“You were asleep,” Steve echoed flatly. “Darcy, you showed up in the middle of a fire fight and you just _went to sleep_?”

Darcy rubbed the grit out of her eyes. “Skaði took me to the Hall of Stars and I think we got drunk.”

There was a long silence from the other end. “Do you even hear how ridiculous that sentence sounded?” Steve asked, exasperated. “And who the hell is Skaði?”

“She’s my twin sister,” Darcy told him, rolling over onto her back. “She’s another norn. I met her a couple nights ago for the first time since… forever, actually, and she yanked me out of Estonia or wherever the hell we were when I couldn’t.”

“And you decided to just get drunk?” Steve asked, his voice sharp.

“Hey, I’ve had a stressful few months,” Darcy snapped back. “Actually, scratch that, it’s been a stressful _year_. I think I deserve to wind down every once in awhile.”

“Maybe, but not after you show up in the middle of my mission and I have no idea if you made it out or not,” Steve retorted. “It’s been six hours, Darcy, and you weren’t answering your phone. For all I knew you’d been shot and killed.”

Darcy pushed herself into a sitting position and resisted the urge to raise her voice, as Jane was in the kitchen. “I _told_ you I’ve been shot before while dreamwalking and didn’t die.”

“No, but you were injured, weren’t you?” Steve was not backing down. “You said you had bruising.”

“ _Bruises_ , Steve,” Darcy pointed out. “After getting shot in the chest with a laser gun. Pretty sure I could shake off a bullet, no problem.”

Steve sighed heavily. “I’m not trying to start a fight, Darcy. But you’ve got to be more responsible.”

“More responsible?” Darcy echoed in disbelief. “ _More responsible_ ? Are you forgetting that I’m currently dealing with people trying to kill me, super powers I _still_ don’t understand fully, I’m neck deep in intergalactic politics, and I’ve been _prophesying about Loki_. I think I have enough to be responsible for, thank you very much!”

There was another long silence and Darcy kept the phone to her ear, breathing heavily. Finally Steve sighed again.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said tersely, and hung up.

Darcy flung the phone to the other end of the couch. “ _Bastard_ ,” she muttered under her breath.

Jane appeared in the doorway from the kitchen. “Who the hell was blowing up your phone?” she asked irately.

“Steve,” Darcy grunted. “And I think we just had our first fight.”

Jane’s expression softened. “Oh. I’m sorry. About what?”

“Apparently I’m not ‘responsible’ enough,” Darcy said, rubbing her face again.

“Because you missed his call?” Jane asked in disbelief. “That’s a little extreme, isn’t it? I mean, he called _me_ and I told him you were asleep. I think he was ready to send Clint charging to the rescue.”

“Forget it,” Darcy said shortly, and got to her feet, leaving her phone on the couch. “I’m gonna shower.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Jane called after her.

Darcy slammed the bathroom door in reply.

XxxXxxX

“So, wanna tell me why Cap almost had me break into your apartment last night?” Clint asked, leaning his hip against Darcy’s desk.

Darcy was meant to shriek and flinch, startled, as he had not announced his arrival and had approached her on silent feet. Unfortunately for him, she’d sensed him coming ever since he’d entered the lab. She looked up at him with a stern look.

“None of your business,” she told him.

“Lewis, you attract more trouble than anyone I know,” Clint told her. “Hence the need to slap you with a GPS tracker. And if I was supposed to monitor said GPS tracker, it _is_ my business.”

Darcy scowled at him. “Steve tried to call me. I was asleep and missed his call. He overreacted. End of story.”

Clint shook his head. “Cap does not overreact. He reacts appropriate to the situation. He was worried about _something_. I wanna know if it’s something I need to be worried about, too.”

“It’s not,” Darcy said firmly. “It’s personal. Can we leave it alone?”

Clint eyed her for a moment. “Fine. But you would tell me if it was important, right?”

“ _If_ it affected you and _if_ it was any of your business, yes, I would tell you,” Darcy told him. She got to her feet. “Jane! Dr B! I’m making a munchie run. You want?”

“See if they have those cheese strudels!” Jane called back.

“Got it. Dr B?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” Dr Banner replied. Darcy thought for a moment to remember when was the last time he’d eaten, determined that it was within an acceptable time frame, and nodded, grabbing her phone.

“Page me if anything explodes,” she called to Jane, and walked past Clint to get to the door. He fell into step beside her.

“Why’d you sit this mission out?” Darcy asked him as they left the lab. “Aren’t you and Natasha, like, assassin spy twins?”

“I took personal time,” Clint told her. “And I’m an _agent_ , not an assassin.”

“Uh-huh,” Darcy said, not convinced. “That’s not what Stark says.”

“You believe anything that man says?” Clint challenged, raising an eyebrow.

“He said you were the most gifted marksman he’d ever seen, and he didn’t think he could even build a computer that could shoot as good as you,” Darcy said with a straight face.

Clint narrowed his eyes at her. “He did not.”  


“Nope, but I’m sure he meant it,” Darcy said, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“So now you’ve officially met all of the Avengers,” Clint said.

Darcy threw him a disgusted look. “Do you really call yourselves that? You sound like an angry heavy metal band.”

Clint shrugged and said nothing. They reached the cafeteria, only to find Steve and several members of the STRIKE team, freshly showered, grabbing food after returning from their mission.

“Crap,” Darcy muttered, doing an about-face and trying to leave, but Clint blocked her path.

“You can’t ignore him forever,” he told her. “Better to get it over with. Trust me.”

“I hate you,” Darcy hissed at him, and turned back around to head for the coffee pots. Steve caught sight of her and visibly hesitated before crossing over to meet her. “Captain,” Darcy said cooly.

He gave her a strange look. “Darcy,” he greeted. His gaze flicked to Clint, who had followed Darcy and was now trying to pretend he wasn’t listening in to their conversation. “About this morning,” Steve began.

“I get it,” Darcy cut him off. “I should have answered my phone. It was on vibrate, I totally forgot about it, it was my fault.”

Steve blinked at her. “I was going to apologize,” he said after a minute. “I clearly didn’t trust you enough to take care of yourself, which you’ve proven you can.”

Darcy blinked at him, a carafe of coffee in one hand. “Oh,” she said, surprised. Her gaze flicked over his shoulder. “Who is that?” she hissed in alarm. Steve twisted to look.

“That’s Rumlow,” he told her. “He leads the STRIKE team.”

“He is coming over here,” Darcy whispered frantically. Steve stared at her blankly for a moment before remembering that Rumlow had seen her with Steve during the mission. He turned around quickly to face Rumlow, putting himself squarely in front of Darcy.

“Cap, Fury wants us to debrief in an hour,” Rumlow said, but his dark eyes were fixed on Clint, who was pointedly not meeting his gaze.

“An hour, got it,” Steve said quickly, still shielding Darcy.

“Barton,” Rumlow said bluntly. “Too bad you sat this mission out. We could’ve use the practice defending against friendly fire.” Clint didn’t react other than the tightening of his jaw, but fury boiled to life in Darcy’s chest.

“The _fuck_ did you just say?” she demanded, her voice shrill. She stepped out from behind Steve to confront Rumlow. Steve grabbed her arm but she shook him off. “How fucking _dare_ you,” she spat, glaring at Rumlow with the full strength of her anger.

Rumlow looked at her in surprise, his brows drawing together as he recognized her. “Who the hell--” he began, but Darcy marched up to him and jabbed her finger in his chest.

“Clint Barton is a fucking _hero_ , you jackass. _You_ try having your brain overridden by fucking _alien technology_ and go four days without food, water and fucking _sleep_ , and then fly a plane across a fucking _ocean_ and fight off an _entire alien invasion_ with a fucking _bow and arrow_.”

Darcy went to jab Rumlow in the chest again but her grabbed her wrist in a painful grip, squeezing tight enough to grind the bones together.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” he growled.

Before either Steve or Clint could react, she narrowed her eyes and spoke with the voice of the norn. “ _Let go of me_.”

Rumlow obeyed despite clearly not wanting to, and Darcy jerked backwards a step. He stepped forward, his expression murderous, but Steve finally got between them again. “Stand down,” he ordered.

“Cap, that little bitch--” Rumlow tried to say, but Steve drew himself up to his full height, shoulders squared, and he stared Rumlow down.

“Stand. Down,” he said dangerously.

Rumlow stood for a moment, jaw and fists clenched. Then he threw a dirty look at Darcy and turned to stalk away.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Clint told Darcy quietly.

“Why the fucking hell not?” she demanded. “Did you _hear_ what he said to you?”

Clint looked away. “Yeah. It’s not the worst thing I’ve heard, Darce. It was fine.”

Darcy stared at him, her mouth open. “People are saying things about you? To you?” she asked in disbelief. “Do they not know what happened?”

“They do, and they don’t care,” Clint told her sharply, giving her a quelling look. “You shouldn’t make enemies with Rumlow on my behalf.”

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t go anywhere near her,” Steve said quickly. “But he’s right, Darcy. You shouldn’t have attracted attention to yourself.”

“If I hear _anyone_ say anything like that again, I’ll fucking kick their ass,” Darcy muttered rebelliously, slamming the carafe down on the coffee bar. “I cannot fucking _believe_ the audacity of the--”

“ _Darcy_ ,” Clint said firmly. “Let it go.”

“I don’t let things go,” she told him. “There is no forgive and forget. I remember and resent, baby.”

“It’s not going to help anyone if you take up arms about this, Darcy,” Steve told her.

“Did you know this was going on?” Darcy demanded of Steve. The flicker of his eyes told her the answer before he could speak. “I don’t fucking believe you.” She slapped her hand into the middle of his chest and pushed. “You’re supposed to be his _friend_ and you can’t even go to bat for him? The hell, Steve?”

Clint grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. “Darcy,” he said again. “I _asked_ Steve not to do anything. I asked Natasha not to do anything, either. It’s not going to help. I can’t make people trust me again. It’s gonna happen, or it’s not. In the meantime, the important people still have my back.”

It took all of Darcy’s self control to calm down, her fists clenched so tight she could feel her fingernails biting into her palms. “I’m sorry,” she finally said in an uneven voice. “I’m sorry. I was just so _angry_ \--”

Clint pulled her into a tight hug, resting his chin on top of her head. “I know, kid. Thanks for want to stick up for me. But trust me. Best thing is to stay out of it.”

Darcy hugged him back with a loud sniff. “Okay. Promise.”

Clint released her but kept his hands on her shoulders. “Okay,” he echoed. “Now I think Jane’s probably wondering if you ate all the cheese strudels.”

Darcy nodded and wiped at her watery eyes before turning to fill three to-go cups of coffee, and wrap a couple of the strudels in some napkins. Steve squeezed her shoulder.

“Hey, I gotta go, but we’ll talk later, okay?” he said quietly.

“Yeah, sounds good,” she told him. “Oh, by the way, the milk in your fridge is new. I just put it there this morning.”

He gave her a wry grin. “Thanks.”

As Steve walked off, Clint took one of the coffees and the pastries from Darcy. “Sometimes you are just too good to be true.”

“That’s what I get paid for,” Darcy said, faking cheer in her voice.

XxxXxxX

Darcy got a text from Steve that evening after dinner, asking her to come over to his apartment. She wrapped up the extra loaf of cinnamon raisin challah she’d made and headed down the hall. She didn’t bother knocking, she had a key. Steve also had a key to their apartment, but he never used it when they were home.

“Hey!” she called as she made her way into the kitchen. “I’ll put the kettle on!”

“Just give me a minute!” Steve called from the bedroom. He emerged a few moments later with a white towel and a half-empty bottle of club soda. Darcy eyed both items with a raised eyebrow. “I really need to leave the suit at work,” he told her. “I got blood on my carpet.”

“Oh, awesome,” Darcy said, wrinkling her nose. “Please just tell me it wasn’t yours.”

“No,” Steve told her, capping the soda and putting it in the fridge. He rinsed the towel out and hung it over a cabinet door.

Darcy got down two mugs and the tin of chamomile tea Steve kept in the cupboard over the stove. “So, what did you want to talk about?” she asked. “Do you have any honey?”

“It’s behind the oatmeal,” Steve replied, getting a knife to slice the bread. “Do you want this toasted?”

“Only if you’re going to slice it thick,” Darcy said. “And you’re stalling. Spill.”

Steve put the bread in the toaster oven. “When we were clearing the docks, on my last mission, we came across several bodies that were...confusing.”

Darcy froze in the act of spooning honey into one of the mugs. “Confusing?” she echoed, her voice pitched an octave too high.

“According to Natasha, they’d been killed with a sword,” Steve told her. “How she was able to recognize that, I didn’t ask, but I’m taking her word.”

“Sword, huh?” Darcy said weakly. “That’s… weird.”

“Darcy,” Steve said, exasperated. “I _know_ you had something to do with it.”

“What?” she gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “Why would you accuse me of something like that? I don’t even _own_ a sword.”

He gave her a flat look. “You’re a norn. You are heavily involved with people who favor old-fashioned melee weapons. You were there, at the docks, _and_ you’ve told me at least one other norn was with you.”

Darcy sighed heavily and put the spoon down. “Okay. I didn’t want to tell you if I could have avoided it, but yeah, I know what happened.”

He gestured emphatically. “Please. Do tell.”

Darcy leaned her back against the counter, propping her hands on the edge. “So my sister Skaði, she has this… well the correct term is lagsmaðr, but basically she’s my sister’s girlfriend. And bodyguard. Apparently they don’t have no fraternization policies.”

“ _Darcy_ ,” Steve said, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

“ _Any_ way,” Darcy continued. “Her name is Eydis, and when Skaði pulled me into the Hall of Stars, she sent Eydis to help you guys out. _Without_ being seen, of course.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “You allowed an unknown combatant into my mission, without my approval, to eliminate targets they had no info about?” he demanded.

Darcy chewed her lower lip. “Yes?” she said with a grimace. “They were just trying to help.”

Steve squeezed his forehead. “Darcy, that was an extremely delicate operation. You could have blown the whole thing.”

“For one thing, Skaði didn’t ask me for my permission,” Darcy told him as the kettle started to whistle. “So I had no idea it was happening until she told me it was already done. And two, Eydis was following Skaði’s orders, and Skaði is a norn, with awesome future-telling skills. I’m pretty sure she knew better than to mess up your op.”

“You still can’t do something like that without my approval,” Steve insisted.

Darcy took the kettle off the stove and poured the boiling water into the two mugs. “Steve, I’m sorry, but I really had no control over it. I’ll tell Skaði to tell the others not to mess around with human affairs, but that’s really all I can do.”

The toaster oven dinged and Steve pulled the slices out and spread them with butter, placing one on each plate. “I guess that will have to do,” he said. “Not that I’m not grateful. This friend of yours kept us from getting outflanked. But I don’t like them getting involved.”

Darcy carried the cups of tea over to the table while Steve brought the bread. She pulled out a chair and sat down, hooking her feet behind the legs. “I get it. Really, I do. But it’s not like I can tell them what to do. As far as they're concerned, I’m ‘very young in this vessel,’ and I have no clue what I’m doing. They all want to coddle and protect me. You should have seen Skaði’s face when she saw I was in the middle of a fire fight.”

Steve sipped his tea. “What are they like, the other norns?”

Darcy snorted. “Uh, well, there’s nine of us, and I’ve only met, like, four. Skaði’s pretty cool. We’re twins, like I said. Born at the same time. And there’s Embla. I’m pretty sure she’s younger than me. She’s a little… ditzy, actually. High-energy. And then there’s Urd. She’s a straight-up bitch. Thinks she’s better than me because her vessel isn’t human.” Darcy took a bite of her bread and chewed thoughtfully for a moment.

“And then there’s Skuld,” she said softly. “She’s the oldest of all the norns. She’s the oldest living being in the universe, I think. She’s like a big sister crossed with a mother to the other norns. She raised us, trained us.” Darcy thought for a long moment. “She’s _kind_ . The norns, they’re supposed to enactors of Fate. They’re neutral, they don’t always get involved. They’re not supposed to be compassionate. But Skuld is _kind_. She cares about people. I like her.”

“It must be a little strange, meeting new people that are supposed to be family,” Steve said quietly.

“You’d think,” Darcy agreed. “But when I meet a norn for the ‘first’ time, it usually brings back at least an awareness of who they are. You know, latent memories from my past lives.” Darcy smiled ruefully.

Steve gave her a long look. “I do not envy you your life.”

Darcy blew out a heavy sigh. “Yeah. Me, neither.”

For a moment they fell into contemplative silence, and then Darcy asked, “What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Or Christmas, for that matter?”

Steve blinked at her. “You’re Jewish,” he reminded her.

“Yeah, but I can still celebrate Thanksgiving,” Darcy told him. “As for Christmas, my family doesn’t really celebrate Hanukkah. And Jane isn’t Jewish. Neither is Erik, or Clint, or Natasha. So all of you totally have to come over for Christmas dinner.” She nodded firmly, the matter settled.

Steve blinked and shook his head. “I didn’t realize we were so close to the holidays,” he said, an odd note to his voice. Darcy looked at him closely.

“This is your first holiday since…” she trailed off.

“I woke up,” he replied grimly.

“Are you gonna be okay?” she asked him softly.

His expression grew distant for several seconds, then he blinked again. “Yeah,” he replied, equally softly. Darcy reached over and put her hand on his arm.

“It’s okay if you’re not,” she told him. “I wouldn’t be.”

He gave her a small smile. “I dunno. You’ve been okay with a lot of strange things going on in your life.”

“What doesn’t kill you makes you weirder!” Darcy said, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

That got a laugh from Steve. “It certainly does,” he agreed.

XxxXxxX

“Again,” Loki said, stepping back and beginning to circle, forcing Darcy to twist in order to continue to face him. They’d moved all the furniture to the edge of the cell to give them room to work. They’d been running through pre-choreographed sets with the staves, drilling the forms until they became muscle memory.

Darcy was just glad she’d managed to keep Jane from seeing that she went to bed in jogging pants and a sports bra every night.

She’d also become more dedicated to her physical health over the last couple of months. She exercised with regularity, jogged three miles four times a week, and made sure she ate healthy. Darcy would never be able to be classified as “skinny,” but she felt a great deal of satisfaction as she watched her muscles begin to develop.

Darcy spun the stave in her right hand around a couple of times before stepping forward and engaging Loki. They moved through the set smoothly, their speed increased from the previous time. Loki had told her she would need to have these sets memorized before he would allow her to spar with him.

It was almost like dancing, the rhythmic clacking of their staves keeping time for their movements. There was no competition, no struggle. It was cooperation, moving in synch, and Darcy loved it. When they finished the next set, Loki held up a hand, fingers extended while his thumb supported his stave, signalling a break. Darcy took a step back and wiped her forehead against her shoulder.

Loki crossed over to the table and poured two glasses of water, bringing one over to her. She drained it in one go. Unlike her, Loki hadn’t broken a sweat. In fact, his dark hair, pulled back in a tail like hers, didn’t even look mussed. It was very unfair.

Darcy looked around the cell. “Dude, how do you shower?” she asked, realizing for the first time that the cell lacked a very important article of plumbing. “Or use a toilet? Do you even have running water?”

Loki gave her an annoyed look and didn’t dignify that with a response. “You’re progressing as expected,” he told her. “With a little more practice, we should begin sparring soon.”

“Again, don’t forget that I am fragile and breakable,” Darcy told him, bouncing on her toes to keep her muscles warm.

Loki eyed her up and down in a manner that wasn’t _quite_ completely analytical. “Your dreamwalker form is much stronger than your waking form. I suspect the only limitations you have are the ones you set yourself.”

“So it’s literally mind over matter, huh?” she asked, tapping her staves against her thigh.

“Essentially,” he agreed.

“Great, yet another skill I have to master,” Darcy muttered.

“You do realize that it will take you years to fully re-learn all your abilities,” Loki told her, taking his staves up again. “And even then you may not be able to complete it in this lifetime.”

“Guess my next vessel better not be human,” Darcy said with a sigh.

“Do not die on Midgard, then,” Loki said. “Let’s begin again.”

XxxXxxX

Darcy blocked Loki’s overhead attack with her left stave while she made her own strike toward his ribs. He knocked her blow aside while flicking her left stave away, and then swept his right stave toward her chest. She leaned backwards rather than block it, letting it pass harmlessly by. Then she spun around, dropping to one knee as she struck out at Loki’s legs.

He hopped easily over her staves and swung towards her head, the stave whistling as it descended. Darcy finished her spin, pushing herself to her feet, and caught his stave in an X made of her own. Loki jabbed his other stave into her ribs, knocking the breath out of her and causing her to stumble backwards a step.

“Remember that your stave can also stab,” he told her, twirling his weapons over the backs of his hands. “Use unconventional methods, and they will never see you coming.”

Darcy rubbed the bruised spot on her ribs. “Every time we do this, you just show me a new way to lose,” she complained.

Loki frowned at her. “Darcy, I have been trained in combat since I could walk. You have been training for a few weeks. You cannot expect to best me already.”

“Well, it’s awfully discouraging,” she retorted, hefting her staves in her hands a few times.

“Find a human sparring partner, then,” Loki told her carelessly.

Darcy paused, thinking. “That’s… not a bad idea. Hmm. Natasha would probably eat me alive. Steve is out, too strong. Maybe Clint would spar with me.”

“You need new associates,” Loki said distastefully.

Darcy pointed a stave at him. “You are not a good test of judgement for new friends,” she told him. “You don’t like anyone, and nobody likes you.”

“That is hardly true,” he retorted.

“Name one person you actually like being around,” Darcy challenged. “Just one.”

He gave her a long look from the corner of his eyes, head tilted away. Darcy’s train of thought sputtered out and she lowered her stave, looking away awkwardly. They stood that way for a long moment. Darcy scowled and tapped her stave against her thigh.

“Well, _nobody_ still likes you,” she muttered under her breath.

Loki snorted and squared off with her. “Your attack this time.”

Darcy raised her staves and for a moment they circled each other again. Darcy made her first move low. She was significantly shorter than Loki, and low attacks put her at the advantage. But Loki was far more skilled, and could predict all her tricks. The clack of the staves was the only sound for a long while, punctuated by grunts and the occasional impact of metal against metal.

Then Darcy failed to see a strike coming toward her head, and she caught Loki’s stave right across her cheekbone. She saw stars and stumbled to the side, dropping to one knee. She had to catch herself against the floor with one hand to keep from falling.

“Ow,” she said when her brain recovered enough to let her speak. “Mother _fucker_ .” She dropped the stave in her left hand to probe at the injury. The skin was tender and her fingers came away bloody. Her head was still ringing from the blow. Even her teeth ached. “Son of a _bitch_.”

“Darcy,” Loki said, kneeling beside her. “Let me see.” He took her chin in gentle fingers and lifter her head, turning it to the side so he could examine the laceration. “You dropped your guard,” he told her.

“Yeah, and you sure took advantage of it,” she said. “I think I bit my tongue, too.”

“Not pressing the advantage would have done you no service,” he replied. “This is going to scar.”

“Jane and Steve are gonna jump all over me,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll have to tell them I ran into a door or something.”

Loki hummed to himself and lifted his other hand to her face, cupping her cheek with his fingers and grazing his thumb along the laceration. There was a flash of pain from the pressure, a sudden burning, and then a cooling sensation radiated out from his thumb.

Darcy jerked away from his touch, reaching up again to feel her cheek. The pain was completely gone, and so was the injury. Her cheek was smooth and unblemished. “What the hell did you do?” she demanded, eyes wide.

He got to his feet, turning his back on her. “It was a simple healing,” he said defensively. “As you said, your friends would have questioned the origins of the injury.”

Darcy stared at his back, hand still to her cheek. “You can heal,” she said flatly.

“I _did_ learn to use the seidr for other purposes than killing and deception,” he snapped, still not looking at her.

Darcy pushed to her feet, dropping her hand. “I was _shot_ through the chest, and you have healing powers?” she demanded, her voice jumping an octave. “What the hell, Loki?”

He turned around, glaring at her. “My abilities _are_ limited,” he snarled at her. “I was not strong enough to help you before.”

“But you could have done _something_ ,” Darcy argued. “It took me six weeks before I could even go up stairs again! I have _scars_ . It fucking _hurt_.”

“As much as it pains me to admit it, I cannot do everything,” Loki told her angrily. “Your wound was too severe. I cannot do more than knit flesh back together.”

“You’re a fucking jerk, you know that?” Darcy bit out, snatching her staves off the floor.

“You take a great deal of pleasure in petty insults when your behavior is no better,” he replied. “The least you could do is be grateful.”

“Be grateful for _what_? You hit me in the face with a stick!” Darcy yelled. “You throw metal balls at me! You insult my friends!”

“Then why do you keep coming back?” Loki challenged, stepping forward to loom over her.

“I don’t _know_!” Darcy cried out, flinging her staves childishly at his feet. For a few seconds they continued to glare at each other. Then Loki stepped forward, tilting her chin up with his fingers, and kissed her. It was feather-light, the barest brush of lips, so brief that for a moment she thought she had imagined it. But she saw the expression on his face as he pulled and her lips tingled with cold.

Darcy raised a hand to press her hand to her mouth as she stared at Loki in horror. He looked as if he couldn’t believe what he had just done, staring back at her with eyes just as wide as hers.

Darcy stepped backwards, lowering her hand. “I--I have to go,” she stuttered, and reached across to grip her bracelet--the one _he’d_ made for her. She stripped it from her wrist with shaking hands and flung that on the ground, too. Then she screwed her eyes shut and fled.


	17. Nothing Worse Than Knowing How It Ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I am so, so, sorry about the length of this chapter. It is a full 1k words shorter than my usual. However Bea did say she would rather have a shorter chapter of quality, than a longer chapter full of meaningless padding.
> 
> Secondly, *more uncontrolled evil laughter*

Darcy jumped, startled, when Jane slammed a stack of notebooks on her desk. “Okay,” Jane said, staring at Darcy with a belligerent expression. “I know I’m not the most perceptive of people. I get caught up in my work. I don’t pay enough attention to people. So if _I’m_ noticing that there’s something off about you, then it’s gotta be bad.”

“Nothing’s off,” Darcy said quickly. “Everything’s fine. I’m fine. It’s fine.”

Jane narrowed her eyes. “You say that when you’re _not_ fine.”

“It’s _okay_ , Jane,” Darcy insisted. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Is it a boy?” Jane asked. Darcy’s head snapped around and she stared at Jane with wide eyes. “Is it a girl?” Jane continued. “Because I may be short, but I can still have a go at someone if they’re messing with you.”

“ _No_ , Jane,” Darcy said firmly. “No one’s messing with me. I’m _fine_.”

“I don’t believe you,” Jane said, crossing her arms. “You’re holding something back, Darcy. I know it.”

“There is nothing going on in my life that you need to know about,” Darcy told her. She grabbed the stack of notebooks . “Do you need these transcribed? I can start them now.”

“See? Now I _know_ something’s up, because you _hate_ transcribing,” Jane said, jabbing her finger down on the desk.

Darcy took a deep breath, offered up a brief prayer for forgiveness, and met Jane’s gaze. “Jane,” she said evenly, using her norn-voice. “Nothing is wrong. I don’t want to talk about this right now. Can we please go back to work?”

Jane blinked a couple of times, her train of thought derailing. “Oh,” she said uncertainly. “Uh, okay. Yeah. Let’s get back to work.” She drifted back towards her own desk and Darcy put her head in her hands. She hated using the norn-voice, even when she had to. She hated feeling like she had robbed someone of their agency, even just a little. But Jane was too stubborn for her own good, and Darcy was not about to tell her the truth.

Because that would _not_ go well.

Loki had kissed her. _Loki_ had _kissed_ her. That was so far beyond the reach of imagination that there had been no way she could have seen it coming. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around it. But the worst part, the part that made it all the more bizarre and confusing, was the fact _she didn’t hate it_.

And that just didn’t make any damn sense at all.

So no, she could _not_ tell Jane, who knew nothing of the norn business; she could _not_ tell Steve, who didn’t know she’d been going to Loki for training; she couldn’t even tell Thor, who knew she was visiting Loki but strongly disapproved. She had literally no one to tell.

 _Almost_ no one.

It had been two weeks since Loki had kissed her and Darcy had been careful not to dreamwalk. She did not go to Loki’s cell, she didn’t even go to Asgard. Unfortunately, that meant she had also effectively cut herself off from the other norns, so she hadn’t seen Skaði in that time, either, even though she desperately wanted to. She felt if anyone would understand, it would be her twin.

Darcy had hated her life before, but never as much as she did in this moment. She pushed away from her desk abruptly and grabbed her bag. “Jane, I’m taking a break. I’ll be in the gym,” she called across the lab, and made it out the door before Jane had a chance to reply.

To her immense relief, Clint was already in the gym, working over one of the heavy bags. Darcy tossed her bag into a corner. “Excellent,” she said out loud, catching his attention. “You’re my new sparring partner.”

Clint stopped what he was doing to stare at her. “Since when do you spar?” he asked in disbelief.

“Since about five weeks ago,” Darcy said. “Can you do staves?”

“Can I do what?” Clint asked blankly. Darcy crouched and unzipped her bag to pull out the pair of black wooden staffs she carried around with her. They were a poor replacement for the ones Loki had made for her, but she wanted nothing to do with Loki for the time being.

“What the hell are you going to do with those?” Clint asked, staring at the short staffs. Darcy spun them around her hands.

“Kick your ass?” she said challengingly.

Clint stared at her for a moment, and then started to unwrap his hands as he headed for the weapons cabinet. He rooted through it for a moment before coming up with two collapsible batons. He showed them to Darcy. She shrugged and dropped into a defensive crouch. Clint eyed her dubiously.

“Don’t go easy on me,” Darcy said, and attacked.

Darcy realized after a few seconds that having Loki as her first sparring partner had definitely put her at an advantage. She had only ever fought against an opponent who was ridiculously stronger than her. When she was matched against someone who was only slightly stronger than her… she still landed on the mat with Clint kneeling on her chest, a baton across her throat.

“Where the _fuck_ did you learn to fight like that?” he demanded, staring down at her with wide eyes.

Darcy kneed him in the ribs irritably. “I’ve been taking lessons,” she said. Clint got up and offered her a hand. She took it.

“Five weeks?” he asked. “You learned _that_ in five weeks?”

Darcy rotated the shoulder he’d used to throw her onto the mat. “I thought I did pretty good,” she said petulantly.

Clint shook his head. “Good? Darcy, you were fucking _fantastic_ . I’ve taught guys who couldn’t pick that much up in five _months_.”

She blinked at him and then frowned. “Still wasn’t enough to beat you.”

“Darce, I’ve been training in hand-to-hand longer than you’ve been alive. You’re gonna need more than five weeks before you beat me.” He pointed at her. “But keep that up and you might have a shot. What form are you using? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Uh, I don’t know,” Darcy hedged. “I think it’s new.”

“Well, who’s your teacher? Wouldn’t mind a few pointers myself.”

Suddenly Darcy thought this had all been a very Bad Idea, capital letters and all. “Doesn’t matter,” she muttered. “I’m not going to him anymore.”

Clint suddenly went very still, staring at her with solemn blue eyes. Finally he turned, grabbed a weight bench, and dragged it over. He sat down and leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees. “Okay. Out with it.”

Darcy stared back at him. “Out with what?”

“Whatever it is you tried to work out by hitting me with sticks.”

Darcy crossed her arms defensively and thought for a moment. Oh, what the hell. “I started taking lessons because I was sick of being in situations where I couldn’t defend myself, but I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want you guys to laugh.”

“Why would we laugh?” Clint asked with a frown.

Darcy shrugged. “You and Natasha and Steve, fighting is what you _do_. I’m a lab assistant.”

“So? Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to defend yourself,” Clint told her.

“Whatever,” she said, and waved a hand dismissively. “But my instructor made a move, I wasn’t into it, so I stopped. That was a couple weeks ago.”

Clint straightened. “Do you want me to kick his ass for you?” he offered.

“I want you to forget it,” Darcy said. “It’s not a big deal.” She retrieved her bag and shoved the staves inside. “Just forget it, okay?”

“Do you want a new teacher?” Clint asked. Darcy stopped to look at him.

“You’d teach me?” she asked hopefully.

He shook his head. “I’m not one for batons. But I know someone who is. I’ll call in a favor and get you a few lessons.”

Darcy smiled faintly. “I’d like that.” Clint got up and clapped her on the shoulder.

“Really, though, kid. I’m proud of you. It’s about time you started kicking some ass.”

Darcy pushed him away playfully. “Whatever. I already kicked ass.”

“Yeah, but seriously. If anyone puts the moves on you that you don’t like, you have my permission to beat them senseless,” Clint told her. “I’ll even bail you out of jail.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “My hero.” She checked her watch. If she was lucky, she would be able to hit the showers and get back to the lab before her lunch break was over.

XxxXxxX

Darcy managed to convince Jane to leave the lab at a decent hour and the two of them left the Triskelion and headed toward the nearby Metro station. As they walked down the still-busy DC street, Darcy felt a presence nearby that she recognized. Startled, she turned around to look.

Skaði stood on the sidewalk opposite them, her hair loose down her back. She wore a knee-length white sundress, a black cardigan her only concession to the November temperature. She saw Darcy looking back at her and smiled, raising her hand to wave. Darcy quickly shook her head at her sister, and Skaði lowered her hand again, smile fading.

Darcy glanced at Jane who, to her relief, hadn’t noticed Skaði. She looked back at her sister and tilted her head at Jane. Skaði nodded in understanding and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Darcy frowned in thought. Why was Skaði here, on Earth? None of the other norns had been on Earth for hundreds of years. Not to mention _how_ Skaði had got there. Darcy knew the norns had their own way of travelling, but no one had bothered to share it with her yet.

When they got to their apartment, Darcy checked to make sure there were enough leftovers for dinner and then announced she was going out. Jane gave her a weird look but said nothing. Darcy grabbed her jacket and her wallet and ducked out.

There was a bar two blocks from their apartment called The Presidential. It was a low-key sort of scene without being too skeevy. When Darcy walked in, Skaði was already seated at the bar, a glass of water in front of her.

Darcy sat down on the stool next to Skaði and eyed her sister sidelong. “A, it’s weird and creepy you knew I was going to be here. B, you are in a bar. You’re gonna drink actual alcohol.”

Skaði rolled her eyes but said nothing when Darcy ordered them both a shot of whiskey and a beer. “You forget we can see the future,” she told Darcy, picking up the shot. “I saw us meeting here, so I came.” She tossed the whiskey back like a champ, her expression never changing.

Darcy narrowed her eyes at her sister. “Okay, isn’t that like some kind of paradox?”

“By our very nature, we do not create paradoxes,” Skaði explained patiently. She tapped her fingers on the bar. “I sense you have something to discuss.”

Darcy threw back her own shot of whiskey. “What are you even doing here?” she asked. “I’m the only norn that’s been on Earth for like, ever.”

Skaði gave her a look. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I went to Asgard looking for you, and you haven’t been there, either.”

“Who did you talk to on Asgard?” Darcy asked, staring pointedly into her glass of beer.

“Prince Thor,” Skaði said, picking up her glass and sniffing the contents. “It was strongly suggested that it would be unwelcome for me to visit Prince Loki in the dungeons.”

Darcy let out a deep, exasperated sigh and buried her face in one hand. Skaði nudged her arm. “Do you wish to speak of it?” she asked kindly.

Before replying, Darcy took several long drinks from her beer. “Loki kissed me,” she said bluntly, turning to look at Skaði.

The other norn stared back blankly. “Did you not want him to kiss you?” she asked, a crease between her perfectly arched brows.

“Want him to-- _No_ !” Darcy sputtered. “No, I very much did _not_ want him to kiss me!”

“Did you tell him that?” Skaði delicately sipped her beer, apparently did not find it to her liking, and slid the glass away.

“No,” Darcy replied miserably. “I just sort of… left.”

“If you did not desire this sort of attention from him, you should have made that clear,” Skaði told her. She waved the bartender down. “I would like a glass of your finest white wine,” she told him, and handed him a fifty dollar bill. “You may keep the excess.”

Darcy raised her eyebrows, but decided it wasn’t worth commenting on. _Of course_ a norn would have local currency when they travelled. “I was too flustered,” she admitted. “I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“May I ask why you find this behavior to be unwelcome?” Skaði asked. The bartender returned with her wine and she sipped it gingerly. She nodded to herself and turned to look fully at Darcy.

Darcy stared back at her twin. “Did you not hear the part where it was _Loki_?” she asked, incredulous.

Skaði raised an eyebrow. “Yes?” she said, sounding confused.

“Loki,” Darcy repeated. “The guy who killed a crap ton of people and pretty much demolished the city of Manhattan. That Loki.”

“You told us he had been psychically tortured by Thanos,” Skaði reminded her.

“But he still killed people when he didn’t have to,” Darcy retorted. “He had every opportunity to ask for help. He took over the minds of two of my friends, almost destroying them both in the process.” Darcy shook her head. “No. Loki may not be _responsible_ , but he’s still _guilty_.”

Skaði studied Darcy for several moments. “My dear sister, you keep forgetting that we are norns. If anyone, man or woman, treated me in a manner I found unacceptable, they would beg me for forgiveness. There is no need for you to wallow in uncertainty. Remind Loki of who you are, and forget him. Find someone else worthy of your time.”

Darcy blinked at her. “Damn,” she said after a minute. “Yeah. You’re right.”

At that moment, a familiar presence entered her sphere of awareness, and she turned to look at the entrance. “Dammit,” she muttered, seeing Steve scanning the bar. He caught sight of her and immediately started over.

Darcy turned to look at Skaði again. “Okay, look, this guy is coming over here to talk to me and he’s my friend, the only Human I’ve told about being a norn, but he doesn’t know about Loki so please don’t say anything,” she said in a rush.

Skaði gave her a wide-eyed look. “As you wish.”

Steve reached them, his eyes fixed on Skaði. “Darcy,” he greeted casually. “Everything okay?”

Darcy sighed. “Are you following me again?” she asked.

“Jane said you were acting funny,” Steve replied. “I tracked your phone here.”

Darcy pointed at him. “That is dangerously close to abusing that power, buster,” she said. “And yes. Everything is okay. This,” Darcy gestured at Skaði. “Is my twin sister, Skaði. Skaði, this is Steve Rogers.”

Skaði smiled in a friendly manner and extended her hand. “Hello, Captain Rogers. Sigyn has told me much about you.”

Steve stared hard at Skaði. “Who is Sigyn?” he asked evenly.

“That would be me,” Darcy said quickly. “That’s my norn name.”

Steve nodded slowly. “Is this why you were acting strangely? Because she’s here and you didn’t want Jane to know?”

“Yeah,” Darcy said, relieved that Steve had come to his own conclusion.

Steve pointed at the stool next to Skaði. “Do you mind if I join you?”

She smiled again. “Not at all, Captain.”

Steve sat down and ordered a beer before turning to Skaði. “Darcy tells me you helped us out in a tight spot a few weeks back,” he said, still studying her.

She inclined her head. “I was defending my sister and her friends,” she said quietly.

“I’m grateful for the help,” Steve told her honestly. “I have no doubt you saved our necks. But next time you get involved, I’d appreciate a head’s up.”

Skaði blinked in surprise and glanced at Darcy, who just shrugged. Skaði looked back to Steve and inclined her head. “As you wish,” she said again.

“Thank you,” Steve said politely. He drank from his beer bottle and then looked between the two norns. “Twins, huh?” he said. “How did that work out for you?”

XxxXxxX

Darcy went into work the next day with a bounce in her step. The impromptu meeting between Skaði and Steve had gone beautifully. Steve had tried to do the standard interrogation but Skaði had answered each question honestly and to Steve’s approval. Darcy had pretty much just sat back and listened. Eventually Steve and Darcy had to come to grips with the fact they worked in the morning, but Skaði promised to come visit again soon.

Jane noticed Darcy’s behavior had changed because she spent the entire morning with a smug smile on her face. Darcy rolled her eyes and let it slide without comment. It would be best to let Jane think she had solved the issue.

Clint surprised Darcy by barging in a little after noon. “Do you have gym clothes?” he demanded of Darcy.

She blinked at him a couple of times. “Say what?”

“Do you have gym clothes?” he repeated impatiently.

“Yes?” Darcy replied uncertainly.

“Good. Come with me.”

“Uh, Clint, it’s the middle of the day,” Darcy said.

Clint turned to Jane. “Hey, can Darcy have the rest of the day off?” he asked.

Jane frowned for a moment. “Uh, sure,” she said eventually. “Just please don’t do anything illegal.”

That caught Clint off guard. “Illegal? _Me_?” He pressed a hand to his chest.

Jane pointed a pen at him. “Hey, Natasha told us about Istanbul,” she said.

Clint snorted. “She lies. That was completely her idea.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever. I’m not paying your bail. Darcy, I might consider paying yours.”

Darcy retrieved her bag from under her desk. “Love you, too, Janey.” She followed Clint out of the lab and into the nearest training gym, where a tall, athletically built blonde woman waited. Darcy stared at the stranger for a moment.

Her blonde hair was pulled into a high tail and her face was devoid of makeup, but she was still quite pretty in a girl-next-door kind of way. She was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt, and she was pacing over the mat while twirling a pair of wooden batons in her hands.

“Bobbi,” Clint called. The woman spun around neatly on the toes of one foot. “This is the girl I was telling you about,” Clint went on.

“Darcy, right?” the woman said briskly, transferring both batons to her left hand so she could extend her right. “Hi. I’m Bobbi.”

“Hi,” Darcy said. “Are you my new teacher?”

“I’m in town for a few weeks,” Bobbi replied. “Clint asked me to give you a few lessons. Go ahead and get changed. We’ll see what you already know.”

Darcy glanced at Clint, who smiled encouragingly and squeezed her shoulder. He was gone when she came back out, wearing her gym clothes and her hair pulled up. She ditched her glasses, too. They got in the way, especially since they were a purely aesthetic choice.

Bobbi had gone back to pacing and twirling. When Darcy stepped onto the mat, she turned to face Darcy, batons raised defensively. “Whenever you’re ready,” she said.

Darcy stood on the edge of the mat, her staves held down at her side. She studied Bobbi for a long moment the way Loki had taught her to do. Then, without warning, she lunged forward. Not directly at Bobbi, but off to the side, striking at Bobbi’s ribcage with both staves as she skipped past.

Bobbi blocked one of the staves but caught the second on her forearm, grimacing at the contact. She didn’t call off the match, nor did Darcy pause. She immediately struck high at Bobbi’s face and low at her stomach at the same time. Bobbi blocked the higher blow first, spun around, and blocked the second. She made no move to attack, which Darcy guessed was on purpose.

Darcy swung wide at Bobbi’s thigh and waited until the other woman moved to block it before jabbing her other stave straight into Bobbi’s stomach. Bobby barely managed to avoid the attack and Darcy pressed her advantage, striking at Bobbi’s hip and shoulder at the same time.

Bobbi blocked both blows and spun out of Darcy’s reach, holding up a hand. “Hold up,” she ordered. Darcy straightened, lowering her staves.

“What?” she asked with a frown.

“Clint told me you’d only been working the batons for five weeks,” Bobbi said.

“I have,” Darcy said, shifting her weight.

Bobbi raised her eyebrows. “You have some serious talent, girl,” she said. “The batons were a _perfect_ choice for you. And your first teacher must have been fantastic.”

Darcy looked away uncomfortably. “Yeah, he was,” she said tightly.

“Sorry,” Bobbi said quickly. “Clint told me about that, too.”

“It’s whatever,” Darcy said with a shrug.

Bobbi spun her batons with a thoughtful expression. “Okay. I think we can do a lot of good for you,” she said. “You’re clearly a quick study. You willing to work hard?”

“I can handle hard work,” Darcy said dryly.

Bobbi grinned. “Awesome.”

XxxXxxX

Darcy stood in the corridor of the dungeons, her hands wrung together. She took a couple of deep breaths. She could do this. She was a kick-ass norn. This was easy. Yeah, no problem. She walked a few yards and had to stop and do the whole thing over.

When Loki’s cell came into view, she almost chickened out and turned around. But Skaði’s words bolstered her flagging confidence and she forced herself to walk the remaining distance. Loki was sitting on the floor of his cell near the front barrier, his back to a pillar and his long legs stretched out in front of him. He read a small, leather-bound book with a gold cover. He looked up as she stopped outside his cell, their eyes locking.

For a long moment they stared at each other, saying nothing. Then Loki closed the book and slowly got to his feet. He quickly realized that this put him at a much higher level than her, and sat back down in front of her, crossing his legs.

“Darcy,” he said in an even voice. “I was hoping you would return.”

“I almost didn’t,” she said honestly, lacing her fingers together and squeezing until her knuckles ached.

“I believe I owe you an explanation,” Loki began, but Darcy shook her head.

“You don’t, and I don’t want one,” she said quickly. “I don’t think… I’m only gonna have the courage to say this once, so I just want to get it over with.”

A crease appeared in between his dark eyebrows, but he only nodded in acknowledgment. Darcy took a deep breath.

“What you did was unwelcome, and unacceptable,” she said flatly. “I never wanted that from you, and I don’t appreciate you taking that without permission.”

“Darcy, if this is because I am--” Loki tried, but Darcy interrupted him again.

“This is because you are a liar, a traitor, and a murderer,” she said harshly.

Loki blinked and his expression crumpled. He looked genuinely hurt. “Is that how you see me?” he asked softly.

Darcy lifted her chin and tried to pretend that her voice wasn’t trembling. “It doesn’t matter how I see you. That’s what you _are_.”

Loki frowned and swallowed, then looked away. “I see,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I never should have gotten involved with you in the first place,” Darcy went on. “And I never want to see you again.”

Loki’s eyes darted back to her again, widening in surprise. “Darcy--”

She interrupted him a third time, this time by raising her hand. “No,” she said tiredly. “Just… no. I’m sorry, Loki.” Then she turned around and walked away. She didn’t look back.


	18. A Downtown Storm With Aries Rising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really bad at replying to reviews, despite how much I covet them. But with the strong reactions to the last chapter, I feel I should point a few things out. 
> 
> One, please remember the sheer amount of stress Darcy is under. She is recovering memories of a life lived over several thousand years, she is balancing a secret of massive proportions, she is learning to use scary and unfamiliar powers, and she is doing it with little to no sleep. Darcy is not perfect. She has a tendency to lash out in anger when she is exhausted. She does things without thinking and later regrets them.
> 
> Two, remember that Darcy was there during the Battle of Manhattan, and she felt hundreds, if not thousands, of people die. She felt each life end. Now, as a norn, Darcy has remarkable emotional resilience, but that was still an incredibly traumatic event for her.
> 
> And three, remember that Loki has at no point expressed any remorse for any part he had to play in the Battle of Manhattan, or the damage he caused to Eric and Clint's minds. While yes, he may have grown fond of Darcy, he is still a liar, traitor, and murderer. He tried to kill Thor with the Destroyer. He tried to destroy the entire planet of Jotunheim, and these were done without Thanos' influence. As handsome and charming as he may be, Loki is not a good person.
> 
> Darcy's relationship with Loki is not abusive. She is angry with him and she doesn't trust him, both of which are healthy reactions to what he's done. Simply because he is civil with her does not erase the fact that he is, essentially, a criminal.
> 
> But lastly, please remember that despite what Darcy may think, despite what she believes, Darcy is not human. She is first and foremost a norn, which means her thoughts, her actions, her motivations are much, much different than a human's would be. The norns are not kind. They are impartial enactors of Fate. They put the good of the universe above all else. So Darcy may seem to be cruel to us, but she has reason to be.

“London?” Darcy gave Jane a dubious look.

 

“What?” Jane asked, sounding slightly disappointed. “You’ve been mopey since before Thanksgiving. I thought the news would cheer you up.”

 

“Why are we going to  _ London _ ?” Darcy asked, gathering up the scattering of printouts littering Jane’s desk. She glanced through them and started numbering them in order with the pen she had tucked behind her ear.

 

“Well, you know Eric’s been there for the past couple of months, guest lecturing at King’s College,” Jane explained, searching the tables of monitoring equipment. “And he emailed me last week about picking up some strange gravitational fluctuations. He thought they looked somewhat trans-dimensional, so he asked me to come out and double-check.”

 

“The phase meter is behind the coffee maker,” Darcy told Jane as she paperclipped her pages together and stuffed them into file. “And you do realize what the weather is like in London in January, right?”

 

Jane found the phase meter with a triumphant grunt and hauled it over to the crate in the middle of the lab. “ _ Yes _ , Darcy, I know what the weather is like. My mother is from London, remember?”

 

“Right,” Darcy said slowly. “And SHIELD is okay with us packing up and leaving for… how long, again?”

 

“I talked to Agent Sitwell, and he agreed that if there  _ are _ trans-dimensional gravitational readings in London, then it’s something we should check out,” Jane replied. “We don’t even have to take vacation time.”

 

Darcy finished her filing and slapped the file down on a stack of others before finding a rubber band and binding them all together. “Do you want to take the spectrograph?”

 

“It’s a  _ spectrometer _ ,” Jane corrected. “No. Just the ones we’ve made ourselves. Everything else we can borrow from Erik’s lab.”

 

“So, yes to the frequency modulator and no to the geiger counter?” Darcy said, holding both in her hands.

 

Jane stared at her with narrowed eyes. “No, bring the geiger counter,” she said at length.

 

“Radiation, fun!” Darcy said sarcastically, bringing the pieces of equipment over so Jane could pack them into the crate.

 

“Oh, come  _ on _ , Darcy,” Jane said, exasperated. “I thought you would be excited. We’re going to  _ England _ .”

 

“Yeah, in the middle of winter, where we’ll have five-hour days and endless fog, gloom, and rain,” Darcy replied.

 

“Bring a raincoat,” Jane said unsympathetically. “Grab the EMF reader.”

 

Darcy grabbed the device and looked at its blank screen. “You know they use these to look for ghosts, right?”

 

“That’s ridiculous,” Jane said dismissively. “Ghosts wouldn’t give off a strong enough electromagnetic field for reliable readings.”

 

“The Winchesters would disagree,” Darcy said dryly. “When are we leaving?”   
  


Jane looked up with an embarrassed grimace. “Three days?” she said.

 

Darcy gave her a flat look. “You’re lucky I’m used to this crap by now, Janey.” She rubbed her forehead. “We gotta tell Steve, Clint, and Natasha, though.”

 

“I already told Steve,” Jane said. “Since he’s oversight on the Tesseract research, I asked him if it was okay for Bruce to take over while I’m gone.”

 

Darcy blinked. “What did he say?”

 

“He said that was fine as long as Stark was absolutely not allowed anywhere near.”

 

Darcy’s eyebrows shot up. “Huh. I wonder how he’s gonna take that.”

 

“Um, Steve said it wasn’t because he didn’t trust Stark’s intentions, he just didn’t want to risk the building coming down,” Jane said distractedly as she jotted down a list of the equipment in the crate.

 

Darcy got that weird feeling up and down her spine she remembered from the first time she stepped into the Triskelion, as if the building was going to collapse at any moment. “Yeah,” she said. “I get that.”

 

“ _ Any _ way, it’s just for a few weeks, just to see if Eric’s readings are legitimate. I figure we take a few days for the readings, and then maybe see a few sights. Go to the museums. See the Tower.”

 

Darcy stared at Jane for a moment. “Since when do you take voluntary vacations?”

 

“I take vacations,” Jane said defensively. “Sometimes.”   
  


“Uh-huh, sure,” Darcy nodded. “So if SHIELD is ‘sending’ us to check out gravitational readings, does that mean they’re paying for our airfare?”

 

Jane pretended to look insulted. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I am the  _ queen _ of requisitioning funds.  _ Of course _ SHIELD is paying for our airfare.”

 

Darcy grinned. “Oh. Well, in that case, what are we waiting for?”

 

XxxXxxX

 

“Didn’t Eric say he was gonna pick us up at the airport?” Darcy asked, scanning the terminal.

 

“Yeah, he did,” Jane said uncertainly. She pulled out her phone and checked it. “I didn’t miss a call…”

 

“Neither did I,” Darcy replied. The fancy Stark phones Steve had given them already had international capabilities built in. They also never lost service, no matter how far out in the boonies they were. She had a text from Steve, though.  _ Let me know when you land :-) _ . She wondered who had taught him to use smiley faces. Maybe she should introduce him to emojis… She tapped out a quick reply and looked around the terminal again.

 

“Maybe he got lost,” Jane suggested.

 

“Did you try calling him?” Darcy asked.

 

“I’ll try now. Why don’t you go ahead and grab a taxi?” Jane lifted her phone to her ear.

 

Darcy flagged down a cab and got their luggage loaded. Jane joined them as the driver got the last bag into the back of the car. “It went straight to voicemail, twice,” Jane announced with a frown.

 

Darcy frowned back. “Yeah,  _ that’s _ not suspicious,” she said. “Too bad Steve didn’t give Eric a Stark phone.”

 

Jane chewed on her lip. “Okay. Let’s get to my mom’s flat and then we’ll figure things out.”

 

Jane had mentioned that her mother was well-off, and was currently vacationing in Spain, which left the flat for them to use. Darcy just didn’t realize  _ how _ well off until they arrived at the flat and Darcy saw it was actually a three-story brownstone nestled between two renovated apartment complexes.

 

“This is your mom’s?” she asked in disbelief as they stepped through the front door. There were dust sheets over the furniture but Darcy could see that it was decorated in a quaint, homey style, complete with floral wallpaper and a family tree of silhouettes in the entryway.

 

“It’s been in the family for, like, six generations,” Jane said breezily. “Mom’s side was old gentry. Not a lot of money left, but the flat and some farmland in the country. The bedrooms are on the third story. You can pick whichever one you want.”

 

“Holy crap,” Darcy murmured as she explored the house further. The kitchen was on the second floor, there was a bathroom with nothing but a massive garden tub, and there was a huge, open patio filled with potted plants. The bedrooms, however, were tiny, which was par for the course in England, but they all had fantastic views (and there were four of them).

 

Darcy came down into the kitchen and started rooting around. The appliances were old, but in good working order. There was a separate ice chest that, holy shit, actually needed ice, and was completely stocked with Kosher foods. “Jane!” Darcy yelled.

 

“What?” Jane yelled back from downstairs.

 

“Who did you tell I was Jewish?”

 

“Uh… Just the housekeeper, why?”

 

“There’s a  _ housekeeper _ ?!”

 

Jane came up into the kitchen. “I still can’t reach Eric,” she said worriedly.

 

Darcy frowned. “Maybe we should call SHIELD,” she said.

 

“No,” Jane said firmly. “He’s probably fine. Just… caught up in his work or something. You know what? I’m gonna swing by the college and see if he’s there.”

 

“Want me to come with?” Darcy offered.

 

“No, I got it,” Jane replied. “Make yourself at home.”

 

“Start dinner, you mean,” Darcy translated.

 

Jane grinned at her. “Your words, not mine. I’ll take a cab and leave you the car.”

 

“We have a car?” Darcy asked, her eyebrows jumping upwards.

 

Jane pointed out the keys hanging on a hook by the fridge. “It’s parked in the courtyard around back. The red one. You can’t miss it. If you do use it, remember that they drive on the other side of the road here.”

 

“Right. Got it,” Darcy said, nodding. Jane grabbed her jacket and her bag (it was not nearly fashionable enough to call a purse) and headed out. Darcy rooted around the fridge again, decided on salads for dinner, and went to check on the last time the sheets on the beds had been washed. They smelled clean enough, which would do until Darcy could be bothered to do laundry. There were also clean towels in the linen cupboard.

 

Darcy heard the beeping when she passed the large crate in the ground floor living room. She paused for a moment, trying to gauge where it had been coming from, and went to open the crate. The beeping was definitely coming from one of Jane’s pieces of equipment. She practically emptied the crate before she found the frequency modulator.

 

Darcy squinted at the screen, trying to make some sense of the readout. “That can’t be right,” she muttered. She banged it against the floor a couple of times, but the readings were the same. She clambered to her feet, grabbed the car keys, and shoved the frequency modulator into her pocket.

 

The car turned out to be an ancient red wagon with peeling paint and bench seats in the front. It weirded Darcy out to get in on the wrong side of the car, and when she pulled into the street she immediately had horns honking at her. No time like an emergency to learn how to drive in a new country!

 

With her phone to give her direction, Darcy managed to get to King’s College, and then she pulled up the tracker app on her phone to pinpoint Jane’s location. It still took her fifteen minutes to track Jane down. Jane was talking with a tall, attractive brunet man with a pair of round spectacles perched on his nose. As Darcy strode toward them, Jane laughed and tucked her hair behind one hair, tilting her head coquettishly to the side.

 

Jane was  _ flirting _ . “Aw,  _ hell _ no,” Darcy whispered to herself. Jane may not know it, but Thor was still head-over-heels for Jane, and Darcy was not going to let anything get in the way of their epic intergalactic romance. Not if she could help it. She marched up to the two of them and planted herself beside Jane.

 

“Ah, excuse me, but I do have regular office hours,” the man said in a local accent.

 

“Sure ya do, buddy,” Darcy drawled in her most obnoxious American accent. “Not here for you.” She pulled out the frequency modulator and handed it to Jane. “Check it.”

 

Jane took it with both hands, too distracted to glare at Darcy for her rudeness. She stared down at the screen. “This can’t be right,” she said.

 

“That’s what I said,” Darcy told her. Jane slammed the device against her palm a few times. “That’s what I did,” Darcy added, annoyed. “I thought you’d do something more… scientific.”

 

“I haven’t seen readings like this since…” Jane trailed off and looked up at Darcy with wide eyes.

 

“New Mexico,” Darcy confirmed.

 

Jane hitched her bag higher on her shoulder. “We gotta go. Where’d you park the car?” She started walking as fast as she could, eyes fixed on the frequency modulator.

 

“So, I’ll call you, then?” the British man called after them. Jane didn’t respond.

 

Jane threw herself into the passenger side of the car while Darcy climbed into the driver’s side. “When did this start?” Jane demanded.

 

“A few minutes after you left,” Darcy told her. “I heard it go off from inside the crate.”

 

“I’m gonna need the phase meter,” Jane said.

 

“It’s in the back seat,” Darcy replied. “And so’s the EMF reader, just in case.”

 

“You’re amazing,” Jane said, still staring at the readings.

 

“I know,” Darcy said breezily. Jane gave directions and Darcy tried not to get them killed until the frequency modulator led them to an abandoned warehouse near the river. Jane got out and looked around, pointing the modulator at various locations.

 

“It’s over here!” she called, gesturing towards Darcy. Darcy rolled her eyes and grabbed the phase meter from the back seat and hurried to follow. There was a huge cement truck parked in the courtyard outside the warehouse, and neither woman noticed that it was physically impossible for the truck to have gotten inside the courtyard on its own.

 

Darcy had that strange crawly sensation as soon as they entered the warehouse. It was like static dancing over her skin, and she was sure every hair stood on end. Something was about to happen, and she didn’t know if it was good thing or a bad thing.

 

There was a rustle and hushed voices coming from the other side of plastic sheeting. Darcy definitely did not want to get shot (again) for trespassing. Wasn’t there a law against guns in England? Better to be safe than sorry. She put up her hands and called, “It’s all right, we’re Americans!”

 

“Is that supposed to make them like us?” Jane whispered. Darcy rolled her eyes.

 

It turned out to be a gaggle of middle-schoolers, much to Darcy’s relief. One of them, a pretty dark-skinned girl, edged toward the front of the group. “Are you the police?” she asked in a voice high-pitched with nerves.

 

“Do we look like the police?” Jane asked, gesturing from her raincoat and jeans to Darcy’s knobbly beanie and chunky scarf. “We’re scientists. Well,  _ I’m _ a scientist.”

 

“Hey!” Darcy said indignantly, lowering her hands.

 

“ _ Show them _ ,” one of the kids hissed. “ _ No, it’s our secret. _ ” “ _ They’ll make it go away, or they’ll make  _ us _ go away _ .” “ _ They don’t know anything, anyway, they’re just tourists _ .”

 

“Hey kids,” Darcy called, using her norn-voice. “Whatever it is, you should probably show us.”

 

All the kids fell silent, and then one pointed back the way they had come. “It’s that way,” he said. Darcy gestured for them to lead on, and they scuttled along ahead of the two women. The modulator’s screen lit up even brighter as they walked, and the phase meter in Darcy’s hands started beeping softly.

 

“Here it is,” one of the little girls announced, stopping at a stairway.

 

Darcy and Jane looked around in confusion. “I don’t see anything,” Jane said slowly.

 

“Watch,” the little girl instructed, and picked up a discarded bottle. She leaned over the railing as far as she could and dropped the bottle down the stairwell. It fell a couple of stories, and then with swishing sound, it vanished.

 

“Where did it go?” Darcy asked excitedly, leaning over to look. In reply, the girl merely pointed upwards. Everyone tilted their heads to look up.

 

The bottle reappeared a couple stories above their heads and continued to fall as if nothing had happened. When it reached the same spot it vanished once more. Then it appeared overhead and fell again, increasing in velocity. It repeated it once more before vanishing for good.

 

“Where did it go?” Darcy asked again.

 

“Sometimes they come back, sometimes they don’t,” explained the girl with a shrug.

 

“I wanna drop something,” Darcy announced, and looked around. She spied a crushed aluminum can. When she threw it into the stairwell, it vanished, just like the bottle. This one, however, didn’t come back. “Oh,” Darcy said, disappointed.

 

Jane looked down when the modulator flashed. “Hang on,” she said. “I’m just gonna check this out.”

 

“Don’t get lost,” Darcy told her teasingly, scanning the stairs for more junk. As Jane wandered off, Darcy and the kids took turns throwing trash into the stairwell, trying to guess how many times it would reappear before vanishing forever.

 

Darcy felt it the moment Jane was gone, like the air was suddenly sucked out of her lungs. She dropped the phase meter as her legs buckled, and she grabbed the railing to keep herself steady. She gasped vainly for breath, her free hand clawing at her throat, to no avail.

 

The kids screamed and fled as Darcy sank to the ground, writhing in her effort to draw breath. Darkness encroached on the edge of her vision, and within seconds it engulfed her. As soon as she lost consciousness, she was catapulted from her world to a different one.

 

Darcy’s throat and lungs started working again the moment she landed on the smooth, hard ground, and she gulped in air fast enough to get lightheaded. She was in a hall, definitely Asgardian, and surrounded by people. The air was full of voices and music, a meaningless cacophony to her ringing ears. Someone knocked into her and she fell to her knees, still trying to get oxygen to her deprived brain.

 

“What is this?” boomed a loud voice overhead. “This is no place for a lady.” Strong hands hefted her upright with ease, and Darcy found herself held off the ground and at arm’s length by an Asgardian of impressive girth and a bushy, red-brown beard.

 

_ Volstagg _ , her brain helpfully supplied, but was not able to command her tongue to speak. The Asgardian looked her up and down, noting her unfamiliar clothing. 

 

“I do not think you belong here, my young maiden,” Volstagg observed. “Did you lose your way? How came you here to Asgard?”

 

“Thor,” Darcy croaked. “I need… Thor.”

 

“Then Thor you shall have!” Volstagg declared, and tucked Darcy under one arm as if she was nothing more than a sack of potatoes. He carried her through the hall, parting the crowd effortlessly, until he reached a balcony. Thor leaned against the railing, speaking to Sig.

 

“Thor!” Volstagg bellowed. “This young lady has asked to speak with you.”

 

Thor turned and caught sight of Darcy in Volstagg’s arms. “Darcy!” he exclaimed in surprise. “What is it? You look ill.”

 

“You know this child?” Volstagg asked, placing Darcy on her feet. Darcy lurched forward and Thor caught her easily.

 

“Yes, she is one of the norns,” Thor replied. Darcy saw Volstagg’s expression turn to horror as he realized he’d manhandled one of the most respected creatures in the Nine Realms.

 

Darcy grabbed Thor’s arms and stared hard into his eyes. “Jane,” she said with all the strength she could muster. “Jane’s gone.”

 

Thor’s hands tightened around her waist and his expression hardened. “What do you mean, gone?” he demanded.

 

“I can’t find her,” Darcy gasped. “She’s gone. She’s in  _ danger _ , Thor. It’s happening. It’s happening  _ now. _ ”

 

Without waiting, Thor swept Darcy up into his arms. “I am sorry, my friends, but I must leave,” he said, and strode off. Darcy continued to suck in deep breaths until her brain finally started to clear and her limbs regained strength. By the time they reached the Bifrost, she felt as if she could stand on her own.

 

“Thor,” Heimdall greeted, but his eyes were on Darcy. “Has she taken injury?”

 

“I’m fine,” Darcy said quickly. “Jane’s in trouble. We have to get to Earth, now!”

 

Thor placed Darcy on her feet and looked down at her. “Can you return on your own?”

 

She nodded. “I’ll be okay,” she assured him. “Just hurry.” Darcy screwed her eyes shut and concentrated, swimming toward the surface toward consciousness.

 

She opened her eyes in the warehouse, lying on her side on the filthy floor. In the distance she could hear Thor calling her name. She pushed herself into a sitting position. “In here!” she called. He bounded up the stairs three at a time and knelt beside her.

 

“Where is Jane?” he demanded.

 

Darcy clutched her head and concentrated with all of her senses. “I think…” she said uncertainly. “I feel something…” Thor helped her to her feet and she staggered toward the source of the darkness she was feeling. They reached a long hallway, and the far end was a door.

 

Darcy didn’t see the door. All she saw was a square portal into the blackest abyss. Dark, terrible energy oozed out of the portal, threatening to choke her again. She scrabbled at Thor’s hold on her, trying to get away from it.

 

“Darcy, stop,” Thor said gently. “Darcy, you’re not in danger. Tell me what is the matter.”

 

“It’s there, it’s there, it’s going to swallow me, it’s coming,” Darcy babbled, her eyes locked on the dark doorway. “It’s  _ there _ and it’s going to come  _ here _ .”

 

“What is?” Thor asked, holding her tightly in place.

 

“ _ Death _ ,” Darcy whispered hoarsely.

 

“Jane is in there,” Thor said, almost to himself, and released Darcy. She had to grab onto the wall to hold herself up while Thor strode down the hallway towards the dark door. Darcy wanted to call out, to warn him, but the darkness had stolen her voice again, and she struggled to breathe.

 

Before Thor could reach the doorway, he hit an invisible force and bounced off it, stumbling backwards a few steps. He frowned in confusion and reached out, testing the barrier. Then he stepped back, planted his feet, and swung his hammer. It met the forcefield and bounced harmlessly off. He tried a second time, only to get the same results.

 

With a frustrated growl, Thor turned on his heel and strode back over to Darcy. He put his hand on her shoulder. “Darcy, can you get past this barrier?” he asked her, worry for Jane coloring his voice.

 

She started to shake, her whole body. “No, you can’t ask me,” she said, her voice trembling. “You can’t  _ feel _ it. You can’t  _ see _ it. I  _ can’t _ …”

 

“Darcy, Jane is in there,” Thor reminded her. Darcy whined, high-pitched and reluctant.

 

“Okay,” she said unevenly. “Just… Just stay with me. Make sure I keep breathing.”

 

He caught her when she let go of the wall and abruptly collapsed, and he lowered her to the ground. Darcy grabbed his hand and clutched it tight to her chest before closing her eyes. She’d never jumped in and out of her dreamwalker form this often in such a short amount of time. She wasn’t certain she could even do it, but Jane was in danger, and she had to try.

 

Darcy reached out with her senses, felt the barrier, and pushed past it, searching until she found Jane’s familiar presence. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a dark place, standing on the edge of an abyss. She stumbled backwards with a cry of panic. She was standing on a rock outcropping. Around her huge chunks of stone hung suspended in defiance of gravity. She turned around. Behind her stood a large, rectangular block of stone, jet black and shiny, carved with runes. Darcy circled it warily until she caught sight of a familiar form crumpled on the rough ground.

 

“Jane!” Darcy called, and hurried over to her friend. She skinned both knees and tore her jeans in her hurry to kneel next to her, and she fumbled at Jane’s throat for a pulse. It was weak and thready, but Darcy could definitely feel it. Her sigh of relief was strangled in her throat when she saw the veins of red energy pulsing under Jane’s skin.

 

“No, no, no, no, no,” Darcy muttered to herself. She pressed her fingertips to Jane’s forehead and reached out again. Jane, she could never read, but the energy inside her… It was familiar, and yet not, alive and destructive at the same time, leaching from Jane’s life force like a parasite. It coiled and snapped at Darcy’s unwanted presence, causing her to jerk back and fall on her ass.

 

“Shit,” Darcy said. She’d never felt anything like this before, but something in the back of her mind told her she should recognize it. Whatever it was, it was killing Jane.

 

Darcy looked around again. There was no indication as to how Jane got here; no portal or doorway back to the warehouse. If they were going to get out of here, it was going to be up to Darcy. The norns had some way to travel between worlds, and they carried others while they did it. Darcy just had to figure out how.

 

Technically Darcy was dreamwalking, and she had gotten pretty good at carrying things with her back and forth. Jane was a bit bigger than anything she’d carried before, but the principle was the same, right?

 

Darcy knelt beside Jane once more and gathered the older woman up into her arms, holding onto her as tight as she could. She took several deep breaths to try to calm her racing thoughts, and imagined herself at the bottom of a pool of water; silent, weightless, peaceful. She imagined herself cradling Jane in her arms, effortlessly supporting her body. Then she imagined herself kicking toward the surface, moving sleekly through the water, feeling it flow past her skin. For a moment her concentration wavered and she felt as if her connection with Jane was weakening, but then she broke the surface, the sun shining brilliantly around her.

 

“Darcy!” Thor exclaimed, gripping her shoulder with one large hand. “You’ve done it. She is safe. You can release her, now.”

 

“No!” Darcy cried when Thor tried to take Jane out of her arms. “Don’t touch her! It’s  _ inside _ her.” She didn’t want the awful energy to lash out at Thor the way it had at her. He might not be able to withstand it like she could.

 

“What is inside her?” Thor demanded, crouching protectively over the two women, one hand hovering over Jane’s shoulder.

 

“I don’t know,” Darcy admitted. “Whatever it is, it’s killing her. We need to get it out.”

 

“We cannot help her here,” Thor said impatiently. He leaned forward and unceremonious scooped both women effortlessly into his arms, lifting them as he rose to his feet. He looked upwards at the glass ceiling. “Heimdall, we must hurry,” he called.

 

The Bifrost slammed through the ceiling with enough force to pulverize the glass, shattering it to dust before it could fall and harm the three beings beneath it. One moment they were secure on the ground, and the next minute, they were hurtling upwards, out of the Earth’s atmosphere faster than Darcy could blink, crossing lightyears in the span of a few heartbeats.

 

Jane woke up halfway to Asgard and gave a shriek of fear and surprise. “What the  _ fuck _ ?” she gasped, unconsciously clinging tighter to Darcy.

 

“Do not be afraid,” Thor told her. “You are in the Bifrost. You are safe.”

 

“ _ Thor _ ?” Jane demanded, staring wide-eyed at him. “What are you-- But how--”

 

“We’ll explain everything when we land,” Darcy told her, tightening her hold on her friend.

 

“Darcy?” Jane asked weakly. “Are you-- I don’t--”

 

“Shh,” Darcy said soothingly. “Just a little while longer.”

 

It was a good thing Thor was carrying both of them, because he stepped out of the Bifrost with far more grace than Darcy could have managed in her state. He set them both gently on their feet in the chamber. Darcy promptly sat down before her legs could give out. Jane turned around in a dazed circle.

 

“We need to do that again,” she said, stunned.

 

Heimdall stepped off the dais and went immediately to Darcy. “My lady, are you unwell?” he asked in his deep, melodious voice.

 

Darcy considered keeping up the charade for a moment, but then decided the game was pretty much up at this point. She was well and truly screwed. “You know me, Heimdall. I’m always fine. Long time, no see, by the way.”

 

“I have missed our talks,” Heimdall told her, and offered her his hand. She accepted it and looked for Jane once she was on her feet. Jane had missed the entire conversation, being too involved in a tense argument with Thor. Jane was currently jabbing her finger into Thor’s chest at her eye level.

 

“...months looking for you, and I gave up my tenure and I got a job at  _ SHIELD _ just so I could study the Tesseract and maybe,  _ maybe _ find a way to get back to you, and then you  _ come back _ and you don’t even try to  _ contact _ me and then you send your  _ mother _ , like, who do you think you are? Who do you think  _ I _ am? Because let me tell you, I have better things to do than spend all of my time mooning over your stupid...ly good looking...oh screw it.”

 

Jane grabbed the front of Thor’s chest plate and stood on her toes to mash her mouth against his. Thor cradled the back of her head with one massive hand, the other resting on her hip.

 

Darcy crossed her arms and leaned her shoulder against Heimdall, letting herself be momentarily distracted. “That is like my OTP right there,” she said with a tired grin. “True love, let me tell you.”

 

“They do care deeply for one another,” Heimdall replied, nodding gravely. He reached down and touched her shoulder. “You should see the healers, little one.”

 

Darcy straightened and shook her head. “I’m fine,” she said again. “It’s Jane I’m worried about. Something is inside her, and it’s going to kill her if we don’t get it out.”

 

Heimdall nodded gravely. “We will do all in our power to help your friend, my lady.”

 

Darcy bumped him with her hip. “Dude. My name is Darcy. Use it.”

 

He stared down at her with solemn, golden eyes. “As you wish. Darcy.”

 

She grinned up at him triumphantly and turned back to see that Jane and Thor had finally separated, Jane’s cheeks flaming red. Heimdall moved forward and extended his hand to Jane.

 

“Welcome to Asgard, Jane Foster,” he said. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

 

“Oh, uh, you’ve heard of me?” Jane asked, her cheeks reddening further, and reached up to take his hand. Heimdall meant to reply, but the moment his skin touched hers there was a flash of red energy that knocked Heimdall, Thor, and Darcy off their feet. Jane wilted to the ground with a sigh, her eyes fluttering shut.

 

“Jane!” Darcy and Thor called at the same time, and hurried to her side.

 

“What… what was that?” Jane asked weakly, struggling to open her eyes again.

 

“I told you, something’s inside her,” Darcy said to Thor.

 

“I never doubted you,” he replied grimly.

 

“There was this place,” Jane said, as if in a daze. “This dark place, and it was red…”

 

“I will take you to the healers,” Thor told her. “They will help you.” He gathered Jane up in his arms and looked over at Darcy and Heimdall.

 

“I’m coming with you,” Darcy said stubbornly.

 

“I think it would be better if I did not,” Heimdall observed, settling his helmet back on his head. “Go, and I will keep watch.”

 

It was everything Darcy could do to keep up with Thor as he strode toward the palace, but Darcy didn’t complain or ask him to slow down. Jane gradually became more awake as they went, and began asking questions about everything they passed. Thor eventually had to promise to explain everything later if she would  _ just stop asking _ .

 

Jetlag and all of the power she had used began to catch up with Darcy, and by the time they reached the healers she just wanted to curl up in a corner and go to sleep. But she couldn’t let herself relax until she knew Jane was going to be all right, so she propped herself up against a wall and watched as the healers used a soul forge (quantum field generator) to examine the energy inside of Jane.

 

Darcy jolted to full awareness when the doors were flung open and a man in armor and snow-white hair strode through, followed by a squad of Einherjar. “What is this?” he demanded in a hard voice. “Why have you brought a mortal here?”

 

Darcy recognized the voice and her knees almost gave out. She knew who this man was before Thor replied.

 

“She is ill, Father,” Thor told him. “I brought her here so she could be healed.”

 

“She is mortal,” Odin Allfather, king of Asgard replied. “It is her lot to be ill. She does not belong here. Take her back to the Bifrost.”

 

The Einherjar moved forward. Darcy pushed away from the wall. “ _ Stop! _ ” she commanded, in the First Tongue, with the full force of the norn behind her. Every person in the room froze immediately, their muscles locking as they instinctively obeyed her order.

 

The effect of her words passed quickly, as she had intended, but now she had everyone’s, including Odin’s, attention. Darcy stepped forward, raising her chin. She was exhausted, she had no makeup, she couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten or showered, but she was still a norn, dammit.

 

“Allfather, I would have expected better hospitality from you,” she challenged, looking him square in the eye. “You have always been a friend to my sisters. Would you abandon us in a time of need?”

 

Odin looked her up and down, no doubt taking in the dirty peacoat, frizzy hair, and the dark circles under her eyes. “Lady norn,” he replied acidly. “The fate of this mortal is the norn’s concern?”

 

“Darcy, what is he talking about?” Jane hissed at her. “What are you doing?”

 

Darcy ignored Jane, keeping her eyes on Odin. “This mortal is precious to me,” she said, keeping her voice lofty and measured. “And she carries something within her, something dangerous. I had hoped of your assistance to puzzle it out, but if you refuse, I will take word to my sisters of your actions.”

 

“ _ Darcy _ ,” Jane whispered insistently, but Darcy shot her a quelling glare.

 

“What is this danger that you speak of?” Odin asked, handing the spear in his hand to one of his guards and stepping toward Jane.

 

“It is an energy, of some sort,” Thor spoke up. “I witnessed it at the Bifrost. It took exception to Heimdall.”

 

“Heimdall was a threat to it,” Darcy explained. “It was defending itself.”

 

Odin reached out and passed his hand and passed it over Jane’s arm before she had a change to recoil from him. Her veins glowed red under his hand.

 

“What is it?” Jane asked in alarm, rubbing her arm as if it would cleanse away the parasite.

 

“I have seen this before,” Odin said abruptly. “Come,” he ordered, and turned on his heel. Thor helped Jane down from the table and Darcy trudged forward as well. When she fell into step beside Jane, the older woman turned to her with a grim expression.

  
“You are going to tell me what is going on, Darcy Anne Lewis, and you are going to tell me  _ right fucking now _ .”


	19. Chasing Lightning In Your Nightgown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hundred thousand words, baby!
> 
> In other news, we are doing a warrant audit at work, which means every single arrest warrant held by our agency has to be checked by hand. We have thousands of warrants. As such, my time to work on this story has been severely limited. I've been trying to stay up a little after work in order to get some writing down, but that means I'm not getting enough sleep and I can't keep that up for much longer. After the next chapter, I may need to take a break in updating until after the audit.
> 
> I have thoroughly enjoyed the lively discussion going on in the comments! Everyone is being civil, thank you so much, and it's wonderful to see my story discussed like this! Please feel free to continue, says the attention whore that is my muse.

Darcy cringed at Jane’s tone. There was no way this conversation was going to go well for her. “I promise I will tell you everything,” she told Jane. “Can we please just figure out what’s going on with you first?”

 

Jane glared at her for a long moment before nodding curtly and turning to face forward. Odin led the three of them into the Library, and then to a small alcove, where he chose a book off the shelf and opened it.

 

“There are great powers in the universe,” Odin began, laying the book on the table to show the others. It showed a picture of six stones held by six people. The colors of the illustrations were so brilliant they almost seemed to move. “Most took the the form of stones.”

 

“The Infinity Stones,” Darcy said, leaning forward.  _ That’s _ why it felt familiar…

 

Odin gave her a quelling look. “But one was in the form of energy. The Aether.” He turned the page of the book to show a red, swirling energy that hovered over the outstretched hands of people in white masks. “It was coveted by Malekith, the king of the Svartalves.”

 

“I remember this,” Darcy said, startling herself. “Bor, the king of Asgard, defeated the Svartalves and took the Aether. They were trying to destroy the universe, bring darkness.”

 

Odin looked annoyed at Darcy stealing his story, and he slammed the book closed. “Yes,” he said tightly. “With the help of the norns, my father defeated Malekith and prevented him from trapping the universe in darkness during the Convergence.”

 

“The Convergence,” Thor said, crossing his arms. “Heimdall spoke of this. It is coming again, isn’t it?”

 

“It occurs every five thousand years,” Odin confirmed.

 

Jane turned to stare at Darcy. “And  _ how _ do remember this?” she asked coldly.

 

Odin raised his eyebrow over his one remaining eye. “This mortal is precious to you but she does not know the truth of who you are?” he asked, sounding darkly amused.

 

Darcy narrowed her eyes at him. “It’s not like I go around announcing that sort of thing,” she replied sharply. “It’s different on Earth. They don’t respect the norns.”

 

“What the hell is a norn?” Jane demanded.

 

Darcy sighed and raised her eyes upwards as she prayed for patience. “Jane, sweetie, let’s figure out what to do with the deadly Infinity Stone you have inside your body before we worry about me, okay?”

 

Jane rubbed her arms self-consciously. “Okay, if it is an Infinity Stone, how did it get inside me in the first place?”

 

“The Aether seeks out a host,” Odin told her. “It absorbs its host’s life energy to power itself.”

 

“How can we get out of her?” Thor asked.

 

“I do not know,” Odin said curtly, and turned on his heel and left.

 

Thor gave Darcy an exasperated look. “Were you deliberately trying not to endear yourself to him?” he asked sourly.

 

“Sorry, I react badly to arrogant people who think they’re better than me because I’m human,” Darcy snarked. “Just ask Urd.”

 

Thor blinked. “Ah, well, no one enjoys Urd’s presence,” he admitted.

 

Jane raised her hands. “What the  _ fuck _ are you guys talking about?” she demanded angrily.

 

Darcy sighed deeply, then turned to Jane and bowed theatrically. “Hi. My name is Sigyn, and I’m a norn.”

 

Jane stared at her blankly. She pointed at Darcy. “No, you’re not. I met your parents.”

 

“I was born human, yes, but I’m actually the reincarnated Norse goddess of Fate,” Darcy told her.

 

Jane continued to stare at Darcy. Thor leaned over to stage-whisper, “I do not think that is helping.”

 

Darcy squeezed her forehead. “Okay. Let me try to start at the beginning. Um, so there are these… beings, called norns. They are the guardians of wisdom and Fate, and keep the balance of the universe and shit. There’s nine of us, sisters. Well, about fifteen hundred years ago, Sigyn--that’s me--went to Earth to help the Humans recover from being attacked by the Frost Giants.”

 

Jane blinked and started to speak but Darcy held up a hand. “Long story, don’t ask,” Darcy interrupted. “Anyhow, Sigyn--me again--was murdered by an alien named Thanos while she was guarding an Infinity Stone. No, I don’t remember which one. I’m guessing it was the Tesseract. Thing is, the norn itself, the power and memory, can’t be destroyed. It’s eternal. So it was passed on to a human, and when that human died it was passed on again, and again, until it reached me.”

 

Darcy gestured to herself. “Ta-da,” she said weakly.

 

Jane’s expression was impossible to read. “How long have you known?” she asked flatly. “How long have you known you were a… norn?”

 

“Two years,” Darcy replied. “I found out right after Thor came to Earth the first time. Before that, I kinda just thought I was crazy.”

 

Jane wrapped her arms around herself. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, sounding more hurt than angry.

 

“Because I was scared,” Darcy said honestly. “At first I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want  _ you _ thinking I was crazy, and then I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you looking at me differently, and then I knew how you felt about Thor but there was nothing I could do, and it just got to the point where it felt too late to tell you.” Darcy shrugged. “And then we were working for SHIELD, and you  _ know _ how SHIELD treats people who are different.”

 

Jane started to pace as she thought, her face still stony. Darcy glanced nervously at Thor, who just shrugged. Jane stopped abruptly and pointed to Thor. “You knew she was a norn,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

 

“Yes, I did,” he replied.

 

Jane narrowed her eyes. “How?” she demanded.

 

Thor gestured towards Darcy. “She told me.”

 

Jane’s gaze darted over to Darcy. “But you didn’t find out you were a norn until  _ after _ he’d left, right?”

 

Darcy knew immediately where this was going. “I have the ability to dreamwalk,” Darcy explained. “It’s like astral projection. When I sleep, I project a version of myself to a different location. I’ve been able to do it since I was twelve, but I’ve only recently gotten any control over it. And most times I’ve come to Asgard.”

 

Jane went back to staring blankly at Darcy. “You travel… in your sleep,” she repeated slowly. “Since you were  _ twelve _ .”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said sadly.

 

Jane snapped her fingers. “ _ That’s _ why you’re always sleep deprived, and you have nightmares,” she said. Her eyes widened. “And that’s why they recorded beta wave activity during your surgery, isn’t it?”

 

It was Darcy’s turn to stare. She hadn’t expected Jane to make that connection. “Yes,” she said. “That’s exactly it.”

 

“That’s incredible,” Jane said. “Your body doesn’t physically travel, but you’re awake and aware in a second place. I’ve heard reports of bilocation before but it’s never been scientifically proven! I mean, the scientific ramifications of this--” she abruptly cut herself off and peered closely at Darcy. “What else can you do?”

 

“Um,” Darcy said, blinking. “I can sometimes see the future, and I can read people. I can slow time down or speed up my reactions, I’m not sure which. And I can influence people to make them do what I tell them to.”

 

Jane crossed her arms. “Have you ever used those powers one me?” she asked.

 

“Yes. Sort of,” Darcy said. “I’ve never been able to read you, some people are like that, but the others, yes.”

 

“She saved your life today,” Thor told Jane quietly. “She knew that you had left Earth, and she brought you back.”

 

“She...did?” Jane looked at Darcy.

 

Darcy hunched her shoulders. “Look, Jane, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It was just so much, and so hard to believe, I didn’t want anything between us to change. If you knew… I was afraid you would have called me a freak.”

  
“You’re not a freak,” Jane said fiercely. She looked surprised at her own outburst. “You’re not a freak,” she said again, calmly. “You’re just not human.  _ Are  _ you human?”

 

“Yes and no,” Darcy said, tilting her head. “It’s confusing. I’m a  _ norn _ , but my body, my vessel, is Human.”

 

Jane nodded to herself, took a deep breath, and turned around. She walked a few steps away from Darcy and Thor and stayed there, shoulders bowed.

 

Darcy cleared her throat. “Are you--are you mad at me?”

 

Jane turned around. “Mad? Yes. I’m absolutely furious,” she said in a perfectly calm voice. “I’m angry that you lied to me for the entire time I’ve known you. But I also realize that’s a very selfish reaction.”

 

“It… is?” Darcy asked, confused.

 

“Yes,” Jane continued. “You didn’t tell me because you were protecting yourself. You have the right to protect yourself, and you don’t owe me anything. You don’t owe anyone anything. It’s your decision who you tell and who you don’t tell, and I have no say in that.” She nodded as if trying to convince herself.

 

Darcy’s mouth fell open and she stared at Jane. “That is a remarkably logical reaction to everything,” she said.

 

Jane gave her a withering look. “I’m a scientist, Darcy. It’s my job to be logical.” She pressed her lips together. “Who else knows?”

 

Darcy wrung her hands together. “Uh, well, Thor, Heimdall--he was the dude at the Bifrost--Lady Frigga, and Steve.”

 

Jane raised her eyebrows. “You told  _ Steve _ and not me?” she demanded, her voice jumping in octave.

 

“I didn’t have a choice,” Darcy protested, a barest edge of a whine in her voice. “He saw me when I dreamwalked into the middle of the attack on New York and he wouldn’t leave it alone!”

 

“You were in New York?” Jane asked. “Oh, my god. I couldn’t wake you up. I just thought you took a sleeping pill. You were  _ there _ ?”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said wearily. “I was.”

 

Thor frowned down at her. “You did not tell me that.”

 

Darcy shrugged. “I didn’t think it was a big deal,” she muttered. Louder, she said, “I told Heimdall.”

 

“So you saw…” Jane trailed off and waved a hand vaguely.

 

“I didn’t just  _ see _ ,” Darcy told her. “I  _ felt. _ Thousands of people died that day, and I felt  _ all _ of them die.”

 

Jane gasped, one hand coming up to cover her mouth. “Do you really-- Can you-- I didn’t know,” she finally said.

 

Darcy shrugged uncomfortably. “I only have nightmares  _ sometimes _ ,” she said bitterly. “Look, are we done talking about this? Because I’m starting to feel threatened and I do stupid things when I feel threatened.”

 

Jane lowered her hand and scratched at her arms. “Are we going to be able to fix me?” she asked softly.

 

“Yes,” Darcy and Thor said at the same time. “We’ll find a way,” Thor assured Jane.

 

“Or we’ll  _ make _ one,” Darcy added. She looked down and tried to brush dust from her coat. “Ugh. I feel nasty.”

 

Jane ran her fingers through her hair and grimaced. “Me, too.”

 

“Come,” Thor said, holding his arm out to Jane. “I’ll take you where you can cleanse yourselves and get new clothing. It has been a difficult day for both of you.”

 

As they headed out of the Library, Darcy remembered they had never gotten a hold of Eric.

 

XxxXxxX

 

Asgardian bathing apparently involved the largest tub Darcy had ever seen filled with fragrant water at the perfect temperature to soothe aching muscles. She actually fell asleep in the tub and woke up at least twenty minutes later, surprised she hadn’t slipped under the water and drowned herself. When she reluctantly got out and dried herself off, she discovered that someone had managed to set out clothes for her without her noticing.

 

She held up the first article of clothing and recognized the norn’s white gown. There was also a long, tailored coat made of deep purple silk. It had a high collar and golden fasteners. Thin ribbons of golden metal curved around her ribs from under her breasts to her hips. It was one of the most beautiful articles of clothing Darcy had ever seen. She wondered if she could keep it. When she slid it on over the simple white gown, it fit perfectly.

 

She twisted her hair up into a knot and secured it with the pins she kept in her pocket dimension. She felt as if she should be wearing the horned moon emblem on her forehead. After all, if she was going to act like a norn now, she might as well look the part, right?

 

Darcy wandered out of the bathing chamber and looked around, slightly lost. She wasn’t sure where she should be going or where she needed to be at the moment. Just when she was about to start walking in a random direction, she saw Lady Frigga approaching her.

 

“Darcy,” Lady Frigga greeted with a warm smile. “You look very lovely.”

 

Darcy smoothed the front of her gown. “Thank you for the clothes,” she said. “They’re magnificent. Uh...can I--can I keep the coat?”

 

“Of course. They are yours,” Frigga told her. She reached out and touched the collar of the coat. “Lady Skaði told me your sigil was purple.”

 

Darcy looked down at the coat again. “I have a sigil?” she asked blankly.

 

“All the norns do.” Frigga reached into a hidden pocket and pulled out a purple ribbon from which hung a silver horned moon emblem. She presented it to Darcy with a smile. Darcy matched her smile wistfully as she took it, and secured it around her forehead. “There,” Frigga said, looking her up and down. “Now you are Lady Sigyn.”

 

“I still don’t feel like Lady Sigyn,” Darcy admitted. “I feel like Darcy Lewis, and I have no clue what I’m doing.”

 

“Then you feel the same as most people, I dare say,” Frigga told her. She hooked her arm through Darcy’s. “Come. Let us see where my son has taken your friend Jane Foster.”

 

“I bet you five bucks they’re in a corner somewhere snogging,” Darcy said wryly. “You should have seen them earlier at the Bifrost.”

 

“I hear that you finally told her the truth about yourself,” Frigga said mildly.

 

“Yeah, and she took it a lot better than I thought she would,” Darcy replied. “She said she’s mad I lied to her but that she understands why I did it.”

 

“I think that it was always your own fear that held you back,” Frigga said. “You are a norn, Darcy. You should own it.”

 

“It’s hard to do that when you have a human family and human friends who could get into trouble if you make the announcement,” Darcy said bitterly. “They’re not nearly as understanding about people who are different on Earth.”

 

Frigga hummed to herself and didn’t reply. She led them through the palace and out onto a terrace where, true to Darcy’s prediction, Thor and Jane were kissing. Darcy chuckled and nudge Frigga gently. “You owe me five bucks,” she whispered.

 

“I think the coat is worth significantly more than that,” Frigga whispered back. “Jane Foster,” she said, louder. “How good to see you again.”

 

Jane sprung away from Thor, her face turning pink. Thor merely grinned good-naturedly and reached over to take Jane’s hand. “Jane, you’ve met my mother, Lady Frigga.”

 

“Yes, of course,” Jane said, bobbing her head. She wore a beautiful gown of blue and bronze, complete with a stylized breastplate. It was as intricately embroidered as Darcy’s coat, and looked difficult to move in. Darcy was grateful for her much simpler shift. 

 

Jane caught sight of Darcy, her arm still linked through Frigga’s. She pointed at the two of them. “Darcy, do you  _ know _ her?” she asked with a frown.

 

“Darcy and I have known each other for some time, now,” Frigga confirmed.

 

Jane’s frown grew deeper. “So when you came to Earth to fix Eric and Clint, that was… ”

 

“At Darcy’s request, yes,” Frigga confirmed.

 

Jane gave Darcy a threatening look. “Is there anything  _ else _ you want to tell me?” she demanded.

 

Darcy grimaced. “Uh… no?”

 

Jane jabbed a finger at her. “There  _ better _ not be.”

 

Frigga laughed gently and untangled her arm from Darcy’s. She folded her hands in front of her. “Come now, let us not hold grudges. The norns work as they will, and none of us may understand why. That is how the universe turns.”

 

Jane looked as if she wanted to protest but Thor drew her close to his side and circled his arm around her waist. “Mother, we were hoping you would know how to help Jane,” he said. To Jane, he added, “Mother is our most skilled healer.”

 

Frigga stepped forward, extending her hands. “If I may, child?” she asked, and Jane nodded. Frigga cupped Jane’s face in her hands, spreading her fingers over Jane’s temples and into her hair. Frigga stared deep into Jane’s brown eyes for several long moments. Then she sighed and stepped back, dropping her hands.

 

“This power inside her, this Aether, it is very old. Far older than I. I have never seen anything of its like before. With time, we may be able to remove it, but not, I think, alone.” She turned and looked at Darcy, an expectant expression on her face.

 

Darcy grimaced. “I would love to help, and I’m pretty sure at least three of the norns would help me, too, but I don’t have any way of communicating with them.”

 

“I see,” Frigga said thoughtfully. “Well, these days it is not long between their visits to Asgard. Let us see what we can do in the meantime, and wait for their arrival.”

 

“I’ll do anything I can,” Darcy said earnestly. Frigga patted her arm.

 

“I know, my dear,” Frigga assured her.

 

A bell-like tone rang out over the city, and Thor and Frigga both turned to look, concern creasing their features.

 

“The dungeons,” Frigga said softly.

 

“Loki,” Thor sighed. He looked down at Jane.

 

“Go,” she said, letting go of his hand. Thor turned and pulled off the cloak hiding his armor. With a graceful bound, he vaulted onto a bench and over the railing, catching Mjolnir as it soared by. He shot off toward the center of the palace.

 

Darcy watched him go with a sick feeling in her stomach. What had Loki done now? It had been almost three months since she’d last seen him, since she’d cut off all contact with him. She suddenly wondered if that had been the right idea. What if their tenuous relationship had been the only thing keeping his sanity together? If she had simply snatched that away from him, there was no telling what he would do.

 

The sick feeling in her stomach got even worse.

 

“Come with me,” Frigga ordered both Human women. “If there is truly a situation in the dungeons, it could be a symptom of a much larger problem.”

 

Darcy moved to follow, but when she stepped forward, she abruptly felt as if she was moving, coasting over the ocean towards the city, flying invisible and silent. She had double vision for a moment, and then the sensation passed.

 

“Something is coming,” she said out loud, and Frigga and Jane both stared at her. “Something is  _ coming _ ,” Darcy said again, her eyes wide.

 

“What is it, child?” Frigga asked gently. “What do you see?”

 

Darcy’s eyes filled up with tears. “ _ Death _ .”

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy almost screamed when the svartalf entered Frigga’s sitting room. It was the dark-armored figure from her dreams, the ones where she watched Jane die, over and over. Without thinking, she glommed onto Jane in their hiding place, clinging to her friend with all her strength. Jane hugged her back just as tightly as they both watched Frigga face off with Malekith.

 

Frigga was skilled with the sword. Very skilled. She held hers in a reverse grip in her right hand, and within seconds she had disarmed Malekith and held the blade to his throat. It was only the arrival of the monstrous, bull-horned svartalf that put her at a disadvantage. Then Frigga’s illusion failed and Malekith advanced on her, pinned against the monster’s chest by an arm around her throat.

 

“Tell me where the Aether is,” Malekith demanded, his blade once more in his hand.

 

“I will never tell you,” Frigga replied calmly, though with difficulty.

 

Darcy felt it,  _ death _ , rapidly approaching. She saw the pall of fate clouding over Frigga. She knew it was inevitable, that it was the will of the universe, and it was her duty as a norn to see it through. That was her purpose, to maintain balance, to maintain the flow of time.

 

“ _ Fuck _ that,” Darcy spat, and tore away from Jane. She summoned her wooden staves from her pocket dimension as she ran full-tilt across the room. Malekith didn’t have enough time to turn around before Darcy smashed her staves across his back with all her strength.

 

Both staves shattered, wooden splinters flying through the air. One nicked Frigga’s cheek, leaving a red line of blood behind. Malekith staggered forward and spun around. Darcy stood rooted to the spot, her hands bleeding, eyes fixed on Malekith’s pale face.

 

His features twisted into a snarl of contempt. “ _ Norn _ ,” he spat. “Do you think you can stop me? Your weak, apathetic sisterhood does not have the power to stop the darkness.”

 

Darcy clenched her fists, driving the wooden splinters in deeper. Blood dripped between her fingers. “I don’t have to stop you,” she said with a smirk. “I just have to stall you.”

 

Malekith frowned. “Stall?” he echoed.

 

A bolt of lightning slammed into Malekith, knocking him off his feet. Electricity arced in blue-white branches all around him. One of the tendrils stabbed straight into Darcy’s chest. She felt herself fly backwards, felt the wall impact her back and her skull. There was a high ringing in her ears and the smell of ozone. Her mouth tasted like blood.

 

Darcy crumpled to the floor, but didn’t lose consciousness. She saw the bull-horned monster gather Malekith up in his arms, saw the charred, smoking remains of Malekith’s face, and saw both of them disappear over the terrace railing. Then Jane was kneeling over her, gripping her hand and calling her name.

 

Darcy couldn’t hear Jane’s voice over the ringing in her ears, couldn’t feel Jane’s hand in hers. Her entire body was numb and tingled at the same time, like a limb sat awkwardly on for too long. She wanted to get up and move, but her body wouldn’t cooperate with her. There was a confused muddle of sounds for a while, but then one of the Einherjar picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the room.

 

They took her back to the healing rooms. They cleaned the splinters out of her hands and used some kind of device to seal the wounds. Then they put her under a lamp with a golden glow. Jane stayed next to her the whole time, never going further than arm’s length. Thor came to check on her twice, and even Heimdall came to see how she was doing.

 

Darcy stayed awake the whole time. She had the ability to blink, but that was pretty much it. She lay still, stretched out on the table, alone with her thoughts. She wanted to know if Frigga was all right. She wanted to know if  _ Loki _ was all right. Despite everything she had said to him, she was concerned, and she didn’t want to see him get hurt.

 

It was a few hours after dark, and Darcy realized she could move her toes. She wiggled them happily for several minutes, and then tried her fingers. She could wiggle those, too. After that, muscle control in the rest of her body returned, and Darcy turned her head to look at Jane.

 

“Is Frigga okay?” she whispered from a dry, hoarse throat.

 

“Darcy!” Jane exclaimed, leaning forward. “Oh, my god. How do you feel? We were so worried!”

 

“I can move my feet,” Darcy announced, and wiggled her toes again. “Is Frigga okay?”

 

“She’s fine,” Jane assured her. “A little banged up and bruised, but fine. She didn’t get a direct hit from Thor’s lightning.”

 

“Oh. It was Thor?” Darcy asked. She closed her eyes briefly. “Remind me to kick his ass later.”

 

“You will be kicking no ass,” Jane said firmly. “You almost  _ died _ , Darcy.”

 

She wrinkled her nose. “Been there, done that. Can I have some water?” 

 

Jane jumped up and returned a moment later with a bronze cup. She helped Darcy sit up enough to drink. One of the healers came over when she saw what they were doing.

 

“Lady Sigyn,” she said. “How do you feel?”

 

“Tingly,” Darcy reported. “I can wiggle my toes.”

 

“That is good,” the healer replied. “Muscle paralysis should only be temporary. You will need to spend a few more hours under the Idún Lamp.”

 

“Is that this thing?” Darcy asked, pointing at the lamp above her.

 

“Yes,” the healer replied, taking Darcy’s hand and lowering it to her side.

 

“What does it do?” Darcy asked.

 

“It renews your muscle and nerve tissue damaged by the lightning,” the healer explained patiently.

 

“Cool,” Darcy said.

 

“If you are weary, you should sleep,” the healer told her. “I would offer you a blanket, but the Idún Lamp requires as little obstacles to your skin as possible.”

 

“No worries, I’m not cold,” Darcy said. They’d removed her coat and gown, leaving her in a simple, knee-length shift. But the healing rooms were warm, and Darcy was never truly cold, anyway.

 

“I will leave you to rest,” the healer said. “If you need anything, we will be nearby. It is our pleasure to serve, Lady Norn.”

 

“Thank you!” Darcy said with as cheery a smile as possible. As soon as she was gone, Darcy turned her head to Jane. “Now tell me what the fuck is really going on.”

 

“Odin is furious that the Svartalves got through the defenses, and that Frigga was hurt,” Jane said softly, glancing around to make sure they weren’t overheard. “He’s shut down the Bifrost and refused to let anyone come or go. He said that Malekith would try to come back for the Aether, and that when he does, Asgard will defeat him.”

 

“That’s a stupid plan,” Darcy said bluntly. “I  _ felt _ how many Asgardians died, and it was a fuckton too many.  _ When _ Malekith comes back, he’s gonna be pissed, and he’s gonna throw everything he’s got at Asgard. It’s gonna be a slaughter.”

 

“That’s what Thor thinks, too,” Jane told her. “He’s trying to come up with a plan. They’ve been waiting for you to wake up.”

 

“I’m awake,” Darcy replied. “Let’s do this shit.”

 

Jane chewed on her lip. “I’m not supposed to leave the healing rooms. There’s even a guard at the door. Heimdall is supposed to be watching, and he’ll let Thor know when you wake up.”

 

“Okay,” Darcy said, and rested her head back against the pillow.

 

“Darcy?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“What the hell were you thinking?”

 

Darcy closed her eyes and groaned, comically over-long. “Dude, Jane. Really? I can barely move and you’re gonna drag my ass now? Can it wait until we’ve solved the whole Aether situation?”

 

“Well, considering I have your undivided attention and you can’t go anywhere, no. We’re not going to wait. What the  _ hell _ were you thinking?”

 

Darcy opened her eyes. Jane was sitting with her arms crossed, staring mulishly at Darcy. The younger woman sighed heavily. “I was thinking that Frigga was going to die, and there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen.”

 

Jane pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know I’m supposed to be really mad at you right now, but I’m still your friend, and you scared the crap out of me. I thought you were going to die.  _ Again _ . You don’t have to do this, you know. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself.”

 

Darcy stared at Jane for a long moment. “Janey,” she finally said softly. “You don’t… you don’t understand what it’s like. The norns, they’re not warriors. They’re not heroes. They don’t care enough about individual people to put themselves on the line. I don’t want to be like that. I  _ want _ to help people. And if I can use my power to do that, then…” She trailed off with a weak shrug. “It’s worth it to me.”

 

Jane leaned forward and propped her elbows on the edge of Darcy’s bed. “I swear to god, if you kill yourself doing something stupidly heroic, I will drag your sorry ass back to life so I can kill you myself,” she said, but she had a smile hovering around her mouth.

 

Darcy grinned back. “Deal.”

 

The doors to the healing rooms open and Thor and Heimdall strode in. Heimdall was not wearing his helmet, and Thor had the dull-colored cloak wrapped around his shoulders again.

 

“Darcy,” Thor greeted with a sheepish smile. “I’m glad you are awake. We were all very concerned.”

 

“I’m good, don’t worry about me,” she said easily. “I’m just glad your mom is okay.”

 

“She owes her life to you, and Asgard will not soon forget that,” Thor told her. He took her hand. “As for my part, I am sorry that my actions led to you being hurt. I acted rashly, and you paid the price.”

 

“Forget it,” Darcy said. “It’s forgiven. Never bring it up again. Now tell me about this plan of yours to save Jane and kick Malekith in the nuts.”

 

“It’s not much of a plan at the moment,” Thor admitted. “My intention is to take Jane to Svartalfheim and call Malekith out there. Once he’s removed the Aether from Jane, I will destroy it and him both.”

 

Darcy nodded. “Sounds good. What’s the bad news?”

 

Thor and Heimdall exchanged a significant look. “With the Bifrost closed, we have no way to get to Svartalfheim,” Thor said.

 

Darcy blinked at him, and then at Heimdall. “Heimdall, you know that’s not true,” she said. “There are Ways between the worlds. You told me about them.”

 

“Yes, but I do not know them,” Heimdall replied. “And even if I did, my oaths would not let me leave Asgard.”

 

Darcy felt a heavy weight settle in her stomach. Her mouth twisted. She looked at Heimdall again. “You and I both know someone who  _ does _ know the Ways,” she said sourly.

 

Heimdall shook his head. “I will not trust the fate of my prince to him,” he said firmly.

 

“To who?” Jane demanded, looking between them.

 

“Loki,” Heimdall and Darcy said at the same time.

 

“You can’t  _ seriously _ be thinking that!” Jane exclaimed, and then looked around quickly. “ _ Darcy _ ,” she hissed. “Are you crazy?”

 

“Jury’s out,” Darcy replied. She looked at Thor. “You have any other ideas?”

 

He rubbed his chin and then grimaced. “Do you think he is trustworthy?” he asked.

 

“Not a chance in hell,” Darcy said instantly. “But he owes me a favor. Actually, he owes me lots of favors. Let me talk to him.”

 

“How does  _ Loki _ owe you favors?” Jane asked icily.

 

“Um, I might have saved his life,” Darcy said. “Twice.”

 

If looks could kill, Darcy would already be in the afterlife. Jane crossed her arms and glared. “Remember when I asked you if there was anything else you should have told me?” she asked acidly.

 

“I’m sorry,” Darcy whined. “I was going to tell you, I was trying to find the right time.”

 

“I will bring Loki from the dungeons,” Thor interrupted, rising to his feet. “Jane, Darcy, I will send Sif to fetch you when it is time. The rest I must prepare with my friends.” He touched Darcy’s arm. “Rest well, Darcy. We will see you soon.”

 

Jane got to her feet and circled the bed to stand next to Thor. He stooped down so she could whisper to him, and then he nodded and whispered back. Jane grabbed his hand with both of hers and squeezed, then rose onto her toes to kiss his cheek.

 

“Good luck,” she said. He smiled at her, and then he and Heimdall left. Jane turned around and plopped back into her chair. “Okay. Now tell me how the hell you saved Loki’s life.”

 

Darcy groaned again. “The first time you can’t blame me for. It wasn’t even really me. It was Sigyn. You know, before the whole death-and-reincarnation thing. When Loki was born, his… progenitor, I guess. Frost Giants only have a single gender. Anyway, his progenitor was going to leave him to die on the side of a mountain because he was too small. The Frost Giants were in the middle of a war with the Asgardians at the time, and Sigyn found Loki and brought him to Odin.”

 

Jane gave Darcy a weird look. “Darcy, just how old  _ are _ you?”

 

“Uh… dunno. Few thousand years? Let me get back to you on that.” Darcy shifted around on the bed to try to find a more comfortable position. “The second time, I guess I didn’t technically save his  _ life _ , but I still saved his ass.”

 

“What did you do?” Jane demanded.

 

“So there’s this alien named Thanos. He actually happens to be the dude who murdered Sigyn--me--like, forever ago. Basically he’s obsessed with the Infinity Stones. He found out that the Tesseract was on Earth, so he decided to make a play for it. So he finds Loki, who’d fallen through the remains of the Bifrost, and he tortures Loki. For months. Then Thanos gets his freaky psychic sidekick, the Other, to form a psychic connection with Loki so Thanos could get inside Loki’s head, see his thoughts, and shit.”

 

Darcy paused for breath and to check Jane’s expression. Jane was watching her with something between disbelief and annoyance. Not good. “So then Thanos forces Loki to go to Earth and get the Tesseract, except that Loki is a little shit and he’s not going to march to anyone’s drum, and he does everything he can to sabotage Thanos’ plan, even at the expense of great pain to himself. He gets himself captured and brought back to Asgard.”

 

Darcy shifted around on the bed again. Jane’s silent stare was starting to get unnerving. “And that’s where I come in. I accidentally dreamwalked to Loki’s cell, got a whiff of what was going on inside that twisted, freaky brain of his, and I destroyed the connection to Thanos, thus freeing Loki of his pain, and conveniently preventing Thanos from ever using Loki against his will again.”

 

Jane continued to stare wordlessly at Darcy for a moment before reaching up and clutching her forehead. “I can’t believe this is my life now,” she muttered. “You know, things were so simple yesterday morning. We were just going to come to London, check on some readings, and have a good time. But no. You just  _ had _ to be the reincarnation of an ancient goddess, and I had to get stuck with a deadly energy parasite. Fantastic.”

 

“Sorry,” Darcy said.

 

Jane sighed deeply. “I could have taken the job at NASA, you know.”

 

“But think of all the fun you would have missed,” Darcy wheedled.

 

Jane lowered her hand and glared at Darcy. “You are  _ so _ lucky you are pretty much the only friend I have, because anyone else would have walked away by now,” she said.

 

“Yes, I am lucky,” Darcy said seriously. She reached out and took Jane’s hand. “I really do love you, Janey. I’d pretty much die if you hated me.”

 

Jane squeezed Darcy’s hand back. “I love you, too, Darce,” she said. “But one of these days I’m gonna kill you myself.”

 

There was a loud thump at the door and both women jumped. The door to the healing rooms burst open and Sif strode through. Behind her Darcy could see the slumped-over forms of two Einherjar.

 

“We must leave quickly,” Sif announced.

 

Jane helped Darcy down from the bed and into her purple coat, which had been folded nearby. With Jane supporting her, the two of them hobbled after the Asgardian shieldmaiden. She led them down abandoned halls until they reached a dark corner where Volstagg and Thor waited. And standing behind Thor, his hands cuffed together, was Loki.

 

Darcy tried to ignore the fact that her heart skipped a beat, and that her stomach fluttered at the sight of him. She squashed both feelings with resolute strength, and kept her face expressionless as they joined the others.

 

“Is this him?” Jane demanded of Thor when they reached the others. Without waiting for a reply, she stepped forward and slapped Loki across the face with all her strength. “That was for New York,” she spat at him.

 

Loki only grinned his razor’s-edge smile and looked over at Thor. “I  _ like _ her,” he said.

 

Thor gave him a flat look and turned to Darcy. “You said you could reason with him,” he said.

 

Darcy pressed her lips together. Loki seemed reluctant to meet her gaze. “Give me a minute with him,” she said. When nobody moved, she added, “Alone.”

 

“Darcy,” Jane tried, but Darcy shook her head at her.

 

“Trust me, Jane. I got this.”

 

The others reluctantly withdrew out of hearing range and they stood for a moment, Darcy staring at Loki, and Loki staring at the ground.

 

“Loki,” Darcy said eventually, her voice gentle.

 

He sighed, and raised his eyes to meet hers. “Darcy,” he returned evenly.

 

“You said you owed me a debt,” she said.

 

Loki raised his eyebrows. “Is this how you would have me repay it? Help Thor on his fool’s errand?”

 

“You don’t think it will work?” Darcy asked.

 

Loki sneered. “It’s as likely to work as any of his other plans,” he said disdainfully.

 

“Then yes, I want you to help Thor,” Darcy said firmly. “If you do that, then you can consider your debt paid. You will owe me nothing.”

 

Loki gave her a long, assessing look. “Very well. I accept your terms.”

 

Darcy lifted her chin. “And Loki,” she continued in a low voice. “It was my suggestion that Thor ask for your help. Once you’ve helped him, whatever you do after that, it’s up to you.”

 

He stared at her, his brow furrowing. “Do you know what you are saying?” he asked, matching her tone.

 

She nodded. “We had a bargain, you and I,” she reminded him. “This is my end of it.”

 

He continued to stare at her in something akin to surprise. “I see,” he said at length.

 

Darcy glanced at the other to make sure they weren’t watching, and then she stepped forward, grabbing the front of Loki’s tunic and tugging him down. She brushed her lips against his cheek in the lightest of kisses. When she stepped back, his eyes were wide.

 

“Don’t die,” she told him. “I’d hate for all my efforts to be wasted.”

 

“I will do my best,” he said unevenly.

 

Darcy smiled tightly at him and turned to walk away. When she reached the others, she looked at Thor. “He’ll help you,” she told him.

 

Thor nodded. He put his hand on Darcy’s shoulder. “This will work,” he assured her.

 

“I know,” she replied. “Good luck.”

 

Jane stepped forward and hugged Darcy tightly. “Be careful,” Jane said into Darcy’s ear. “Odin is probably going to suspect you had something to do with it.”

 

“He can’t hurt me,” Darcy replied. “I’m a norn, remember?”

 

Jane released Darcy and stepped back. “Right,” she said. She smiled weakly. “Just take care, okay?”

  
“You, too,” Darcy told her. She stood and watched as the group strode down the hall. Just before they disappeared, Loki looked back at her, his green eyes flashing. Then they were gone, leaving her alone.


	20. Just A King And A Rusty Throne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooooo!
> 
> Yes, I did take a few days break from the story and I feel sooooo much better for it! We're not done with the audit (as far as I know, I've been off the last two days) but we should be almost done. Thanks everyone for being so kind and understanding about irl demands! Y'all are the best fans ever!
> 
> Also note, a ''queen'' is an outdated term for a female cat. Just fyi.

Darcy quickly lost what little strength she had and let herself slip to the floor, clutching her coat tightly around her. That was how the Einherjar found her what felt like hours later. They didn’t speak to her, but they handled her gently as the lifted her up and carried her back into the palace. They took her to a small sitting room with no windows and no terrace.

 

She couldn’t remember when the last time she had slept, and it had been just as long since she’d eaten. Right now she was too tired to be hungry, so she curled up on one of the couches and promptly lost consciousness.

 

_ The stars shone bright overhead; steady, brilliant, and clear, without any pollution to obscure them. Darcy sighed with relief at the sight of them, and leaned heavily against the nearest silver pillar, soaking up its warm energy. Why was it that she had to push herself almost to death’s door in order to come here? _

 

_ She reluctantly pushed away from the pillar and went in search of one of her sisters. She had a feeling, like a magnet in her brain, as to where each of them were. So it actually did not take her very long to find who she was looking for. _

 

_ She came to a low wall made from smooth stones balanced on one another without mortar. The wall enclosed a garden of good size, filled with rows of herbs, flowers, and apple trees. Darcy walked through the opening and followed the path until she found three of her sisters. They were kneeling in the dark, rich earth, their white gowns and hands stained with it, talking and laughing amongst themselves. _

 

_ Skaði caught sight of Darcy first, and leapt to her feet. “Sigyn!” she cried happily, and ran to embrace Darcy. Darcy hugged her twin tightly back with a smile. _

 

_ “Hi,” she said. “It’s really good to see you.” _

 

_ “You as well!” Skaði exclaimed. “You found your way here on your own.” _

 

_ “After not sleeping for two days and getting electrocuted almost to death, yeah,” Darcy said dryly. _

 

_ “I daresay you have had more excitement in your current lifetime than any of us have had in a thousand years,” said one of the other two norns. Darcy looked at her closely, seeing her for the first time. _

 

_ Her name was Wyrd, and only Skuld was older than she. Her hair was pure white, braided in a crown around her head. The ribbon across her forehead was black, and her eyes were bright blue. There were wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and between her silver eyebrows, but she was still quite beautiful. She brushed the dirt from her hands and stood up without any indication of her great age.  _

 

_ Wyrd strode over to Darcy and pushed Skaði aside, taking Darcy’s face in work-roughened hands. “Let’s have a look at you, child,” she said, tilting Darcy’s head back and forth. “Ah, you chose a pretty vessel this time. Hmm. Suits you.” _

 

_ “I didn’t choose this vessel, I was born in it,” Darcy said, but didn’t pull away from Wyrd’s brusque touch. _

 

_ “Of course you chose it,” Wyrd said dismissively. “And you mean to use it for breeding, by the look of it.” _

 

_ Now Darcy did pull away. “Excuse me?” she demanded, drawing herself up indignantly. _

 

_ Skaði put her hand on Darcy’s arm. “Don’t mind her,” she said, rolling her eyes. “She’s old-fashioned and forgets how to be discrete.” _

 

_ “Well, there’s nothing wrong with birthing babies,” Wyrd said stoutly. “The Sisterhood has always been fond of their sons and daughters.” _

 

_ “If Wyrd had her way, we’d all be having litters,” Embla spoke up from where she was still kneeling in the dirt, tamping it down around a sprig of rosemary. _

 

_ “I’m not here to talk about having children!” Darcy said, gesturing curtly. “I came because I need help.” _

 

_ “What is it, dearest?” Skaði asked in concern, taking Darcy’s hand in hers. _

 

_ “Jane… my friend Jane, she’s been taken by the Aether,” Darcy explained wearily. “Thor and his friends are trying to get it out of her, but I’m stranded on Asgard because Odin has forbidden the use of the Bifrost. And I think I might be under arrest.” _

 

_ “Arrest?” Wyrd repeated sharply. “For what?” _

 

_ “I sort of helped break Loki out of prison,” Darcy admitted. _

 

_ “Hah!” Wyrd barked. “So you showed that old buffoon a thing or two. Odin was always too prideful for his own good. Not like his father. Now Bor was a good man. Fine warrior, and a better lover.” She winked at Darcy, who slapped her hand over her face and sighed. _

 

_ “Look, can one of you just please come get me and take me back to Earth?” Darcy asked, her voice almost a whine. “We were trying to get in touch with Eric before we left and we still don’t know where he is, or if he’s alright.” _

 

_ Skaði patted Darcy’s hand. “I’ll be there when you wake up,” she promised. “Rest now, and finish healing.” _

 

_ “Embla,” Wyrd said, snapping her fingers at the younger norn. “Get yourself to Svartalfheim and keep an eye on the Aether. We can’t let the Infinity Stones be used by just anyone.” She snorted to herself. “I don’t know what Nemesis was thinking, creating those things. Then again, her name  _ was _ ‘Nemesis.’” _

 

_ Embla obediently got to her feet, bowed, and promptly vanished, winking out as if she had never been there at all. Darcy blinked, surprised, and stared at the place where she had been. “Can we teleport?” she asked aside to Skaði. _

 

_ “No,” Skaði replied. “Embla was just returning to the realm her body is currently at. She will leave from there to go to Svartalfheim.” _

 

_ “Ah,” Darcy said, nodding. _

 

_ Skaði patted her arm again. “Go along. I’ll be there when you wake up.” _

 

_ “Thank you,” Darcy said. She closed her eyes and went through her ritual to end a dreamwalk. The Hall of Stars fell away, and she drifted in darkness. _

 

The first thing Darcy noticed when she woke up was that she was ravenously hungry. The second thing was that there were voices nearby, soft and female. She also smelled food. She opened her eyes and pushed herself up into a sitting position.

 

Frigga and Skaði sat in chairs nearby, talking softly. Frigga was dressed simply, her hair loose and unadorned, and Skaði was knitting. Darcy had to take a second look but yes, her twin sister was, in fact,  _ knitting _ . Whatever it was, it was purple and chunky. The yarn hung from her fingers and ran into a basket at her feet, which Darcy could see was full of more yarn and, of all things, a sleeping white kitten.

 

Both Frigga and Skaði stopped talking and turned to look at Darcy when she sat up. Frigga smiled weakly. “Darcy, I’m so glad you’re awake. How do you feel?”

 

“I’m starving,” Darcy replied honestly. “But otherwise I’m okay. How are  _ you _ ?”

 

Frigga reached up to touch her throat lightly, which was ringed with a red-brown bruise. “I am not greatly injured, thanks to you. I owe you my life.”

 

“You don’t owe me anything,” Darcy insisted. “After everything you’ve already done for me, this is just me paying you back.”

 

Frigga smiled and got to her feet. She crossed over to a table and picked up a tray of food. She brought it over to Darcy and placed it on the girl’s lap. “Lady Skaði advised us of your dietary needs,” she said.

 

“Thank you,” Darcy replied gratefully. The tray was full of raw fruits and vegetables, fresh bread, cheese, yoghurt, cheese curd, honey, and butter. She devoured everything on it, sucking her fingers clean when she was finished. Skaði and Frigga continued to talk quietly while she ate, but she was too focused on her food to pay attention to their conversation.

 

When Darcy was finished, she set the tray aside and looked at Frigga again. “How much trouble am I in?” she asked.

 

Frigga looked solemn. “Odin is very displeased at Thor’s actions,” she said. “He feels Thor has betrayed Asgard, betrayed us all. That you aided him, this is a serious matter.”

 

“Sigyn is a norn,” Skaði said stoutly. “Her reasons for her actions are above reproach.”

 

“That may be so, but Odin does not feel the same,” Frigga said. She looked at Darcy. “He is considering banning you from Asgard.”

 

“ _ What _ ?!” Darcy and Skaði demanded at the same time.

 

“He would not dare!” Skaði added.

 

“I can’t help coming here!” Darcy protested. “I’m dreamwalking and I can’t control it all the time!”

 

“I do not agree with my husband,” Frigga assured them. “While I am not pleased with Thor and Darcy’s actions, I trust that they felt they were doing the right thing. I do not believe they should be punished so severely.”

 

“Fuck,” Darcy said, rubbing a hand over her face. “This is just fantastic.”

 

“I will have Skuld speak with Odin,” Skaði told her. “She will sort everything out, you’ll see.”

 

“I will do everything I can to facilitate negotiations between the Sisterhood and Asgard,” Frigga promised. “For now, though, I think it would be best if you left as soon as possible.”

 

“Love to,” Darcy said tersely. “How?”

 

“We’ll use the Ways,” Skaði said. “I can take you back to Midgard that way. Here.” She reached down and picked up a folded white garment, which Darcy recognized as her norn dress. “And I think you will want this, as well.” She took Darcy’s cell phone from her basket, waking up the kitten in the process. The kitten trilled in protest and opened its cloudy blue eyes.

 

Darcy stared at the kitten as she took her cell phone. “Why do you have a kitten?” she asked.

 

Skaði looked down at the tiny animal. “Oh. That is Kneppa. Wyrd’s queen had a litter and I took a fancy to this one.”

 

Darcy blinked. “You named your cat ‘button?’” she asked dubiously.

 

“Well, she’s small, and cute,” Skaði explained. She put down her knitting and scooped the kitten up, holding it in the crook of one arm. Kneppa snuggled against Skaði contentedly, yawning widely. Darcy shrugged and took her cellphone back. “You should get dressed,” Skaði went on. “We will need to leave as soon as possible.”

 

Darcy sighed and shrugged out of her coat so she could pull on the gown. It was, thankfully, easy to fasten, having only a couple of hidden closures up the side. She pulled her coat back on and blinked in surprise when Skaði presented her with the wad of knitted material. She took it slowly and discovered it was a somewhat lop-sided hat.

 

“I am not very good at this,” Skaði said apologetically. “I only just started learning. But I thought you might like to have one to replace the one you lost.”

 

“Thank you,” Darcy said sincerely, and pulled it on over her sleep-tousled hair. Skadi picked up her basket of yarn and looked at Frigga.

 

“I will have to tell Odin that you have left,” the queen said. “But I will wait until you are gone.”

 

“Thank you,” Skaði said. “You have always been a good friend of the Sisterhood, Lady Frigga.”

 

Frigga inclined her head. “It is an honor to serve the norns,” she murmured, and left the room. Skaði looked over at Darcy.

 

“Are you ready?” she asked.

 

Darcy fished around in her coat until she found her pocket and shoved her phone inside. “Let’s do this.”

 

Skaði lead her out of the room, which had a suspicious lack of guards, and into the palace. They slipped furtively down the halls until they left the palace and entered the city. No one took notice of them, even when they reached a bay full of open-topped boat-like vehicles.

 

“What are these?” Darcy asked as they walked between the boats.

 

“They are called skúta,” Skaði replied.

 

“Scooters?” Darcy echoed with a frown. “They don’t look like they scoot.”

 

“ _ Skúta _ ,” Skaði repeated. “They are airships. Rather simple, really. With the Bifrost, Asgard has no need of anything more sophisticated.”

 

“These things  _ fly _ ?” Darcy asked dubiously, looking at the vehicles as they passed. They did not appear to have any engines of any kind. They did have back-swept wing-like rudders underneath the stern, but showed no other sign of propulsion.

 

Skaði finally found one that met her approval and climbed in, setting down both basket and kitten in the bottom of the skúta. Darcy climbed in after her, still looking for some kind of controls. She saw a tiller but nothing else. When Skaði put her hand on the tiller and pushed down, however, the tiny ship hummed to life, rising up from its shoring.

 

Under Skaði’s command, the skúta zipped out of the bay fast enough to cause Darcy to lose her balance, and she sat down hard on one of the benches inside the ship. Skaði apparently had a great deal of experience flying these things because she had no trouble navigating the city and heading out over the water. 

 

Again, no one noticed their departure, not even the sentry turrets at the edge of the city. Whatever Frigga had done to cover for them, it was working.

 

“Where are we going?” Darcy asked above the whip of the wind around them.

 

“To the mainland,” Skaði replied. “The Way to Midgard is there. Well, we will have to take a roundabout way, but that is where we will start.”

 

“Okay, then.” Darcy pulled her coat tight against the wind. She felt a tug on her gown and looked down to see Kneppa wrestling with the hem of her dress, squeaking playfully and rolling around on her back. “I guess you  _ are _ kinda cute,” Darcy admitted, reaching down to lift the kitten in her lap. Kneppa immediately started chewing on Darcy’s fingers with needle-sharp milk teeth, but then settled down to watch the scenery pass by with wide eyes.

 

They traveled for over an hour before they reached a shoreline, and Skaði turned the skúta toward a craggy line of cliffs. When they reached the cliffs, she set the skúta down and picked up her basket. “This way,” she instructed, and exited the airship.

 

Darcy clambered after her twin sister, still carrying Kneppa. Together the two norns walked to the cliff and then along its edge for a couple hundred yards before they came to a narrow crack in the cliff face, just large enough for the two women to squeeze through.

 

“Do we really have to go in there?” Darcy asked reluctantly, staring at the narrow space.

 

“This will take us to Vanaheim,” Skaði explained. “And from there to Rhia, and from there to Midgard.”

 

“It’s just, it looks like a tight fit,” Darcy pointed out.

 

“It will be fine, trust me,” Skaði assured her, and turned sidewise to enter the crack. Darcy sighed heavily, clutched Kneppa to her chest, and moved to follow. As they crab-walked through the crevice, Darcy noticed rainbow sparks dancing around the edge of her vision, growing until there was a kaleidoscope flash, and then they were stumbling out into the open, surrounded by trees.

 

Darcy whirled around to look at where they had come from. It was a massive tree, at least twice the size of a sequoia, and the Way led out through a gap in its exposed roots. The trees around them were almost as large, making Darcy feel like a midget surrounded by giants.

 

“Holy shit,” she said, turning around in place to look at the trees. The canopy was so far overhead that the clusters of leaves looked like green clouds, and the light that filtered through was dusky and dim. “This must be what Mirkwood is like.”

 

“Mirkwood?” Skaði echoed, looked at Darcy with a curious frown.

 

“Earth fairy tale,” Darcy explained.

 

“Ah, I see,” Skaði said with a nod. “This way. Hurry. We have a long walk.”

 

Darcy was grateful for the sensible boots she’d been given to wear under her dress, rather than the decorative slippers she’d been given when she’d first arrived in Asgard. They walked for a good five miles but the underbrush was sparse and the ground was actually quite even, which made the going easy. Kneppa got tired of being held after the first mile, and finished the walk perched on Darcy’s shoulder like a furry parrot.

 

The Way to Rhia turned out to be two large slabs of lichen-encrusted rock tilted toward each other like a tent, surrounded by thirteen unadorned standing stones. Skaði ducked underneath the two stones without hesitation, and Darcy quickly followed. There was the same progression of rainbow sparks, the multi-colored flash, and then they were walking in the blinding sun, up to their ankles in water.

 

As soon as Darcy’s eyes adjusted to the sunlight, she saw they were standing in a shallow lagoon of turquoise water and pearl sand, having just exited a narrow gap in a tangle of mangrove-like trees. Beyond the mouth of the lagoon she could see brilliantly blue ocean waves, tipped by white froth.

 

It was warm enough to make her consider taking off her coat, but she refrained until she found out how long they were going to be on this world. Skaði was already wading towards the beach, hiking up her wet skirts and tucking them in her belt so they wouldn’t get caked with sand. Darcy followed suit and was again thankful for her apparently waterproof boots.

 

“We’ll not be here long,” Skaði assured Darcy. “Rhia is not my favorite of realms. It is far too warm here.”

 

“So I’m not the only norn with the thing for cold?” Darcy said as they set off through the mangroves.

 

“Hardly,” Skaði replied. “Cold is the natural state of the universe, you know.”

 

“Amen,” Darcy muttered as sweat began to trickle down her back.

 

They only had to struggle a few hundred yards through the thick underbrush until they reached a set of rough-hewn stone steps that led down into an underground cairn. Skaði led them quickly down into the darkness, reaching back to grasp Darcy’s hand. They ground underneath their feet was well-worn and smooth, and the passage was comfortably wide, so they had no trouble finding their way through.

 

Darcy blinked in the overcast, watery light as drizzle misted her unbound hair. Kneppa mewled in protest and shook herself all over, fluffing up her coat. Skaði retrieved the kitten from Darcy and replaced her in the basket, covering it with a cloth to protect yarn and cat alike from the weather. Darcy looked around at the buildings surrounding them.

 

“There’s a Way in the middle of the city?” Darcy asked in disbelief. She looked around and saw that the Way’s exit had been a much-graffitied red phone booth that was so typical of London. “How are people not stumbling through it all the time?”

 

“Well, for one thing, this Way is exit only,” Skaði explained. “You cannot enter through it. And Ways have methods of defending themselves. Only those with knowledge of them may find them. No one stumbles upon them by accident.”

 

“That’s  _ slightly _ reassuring,” Darcy said. “The Ways to Midgard just happen to come into London?”

 

“This one does,” Skaði said cheerfully. “There are hundreds of thousands of Ways, dear sister, and Skuld creates new ones as are needed.”

 

“Wait a second. Skuld  _ creates _ Ways between the worlds?” Darcy asked in disbelief.

 

“Yes,” Skaði replied, giving Darcy a patient look. “Skuld has a unique relationship with Yggdrasil. The World Tree accommodates her more than any other living creature.”

 

“Okay, if Skuld creates the Ways, then how did Loki learn about them?” Darcy asked.

 

Skaði shrugged. “I doubt he knows all of them. Come. Let us get out of the wet. And did you not say we needed to look for your friend?”

 

“Erik, yeah,” Darcy said. “You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”

 

Skaði shook her head. “I have no knowledge of your friend Erik, I am sorry. Can you not find him?”

 

Darcy sighed. “I’ll try.” She closed her eyes and quieted her mind,  _ listening _ and  _ feeling _ for Erik’s unique presence. It took her several minutes, but eventually she found him and identified his location. “Aw, shit,” she said, and opened her eyes.

 

“What is wrong?” Skaði asked.

 

“He’s in jail,” Darcy said with another sigh.

 

The detention officer behind the desk stared at them when they walked through the doors. Darcy could only imagine how they looked, both of them wearing floor-length white gowns, Darcy in her purple coat and Skaði in her black tunic. Skaði still wore her horned-moon emblem around her brow and Darcy was still sporting her lopsided knit beanie.

 

Darcy took a deep breath, called up her norn, and marched over to the desk. “I’m here for Erik Selvig,” she said regally. “I need you to release him immediately.”

 

“Selvig, Erik,” the officer repeated distantly, still staring at Darcy’s otherworldly clothing. When he made no move to follow Darcy’s orders, she rapped her knuckles sharply against the desk.

 

“Hey!” she said. “Hello? Did you hear me?”

 

“Selvig, Erik. Right,” the officer said, and turned to his computer, still darting glances at Darcy and Skaði. After a moment he looked up again. “Says here he can be released on a two thousand pound bail.”

 

Darcy’s eyes widened. “What the hell did he  _ do _ ?” she demanded.

 

The officer checked his computer again. “Uh, trespassing on government property and defacing a protected historical site,” he read.

 

Darcy rolled her eyes in frustration and turned to Skaði. “I don’t have two thousand pounds,” she whispered to her sister.

 

Skaði reached into her pocket and pulled out a slim leather wallet. “Do you take credit?” she asked the officer, holding up a credit card. Darcy blinked in surprise.

 

“Yes, marm,” the officer replied, and took it from Skaði.

 

“How do you have a credit card?” Darcy demanded in a low voice.

 

“We have current currency for all worlds we visit,” Skaði replied. “Why would we not?”

 

“I dunno, it just looks weird,” Darcy muttered defensively.

 

The detention officer handed Skaði her card back, and then slammed a plastic bag full of various items onto the desk. “Here are Selvig’s personal items,” he said in a bored voice. “One man’s leather wallet, brown. Set of keys. Identification badge, King’s College. Identification badge, SHIELD. Mobile phone. And...these.” The officer ducked under the desk and pulled out three large, pole-like devices and slammed them down with a loud clatter.

 

Darcy stared at the devices in dismay. She had no idea what they were or what they did. With a frustrated sigh, she gathered them up in her arms while Skaði tucked the plastic bag into her basket next to Kneppa.

 

It took them almost twenty minutes to bring Erik out. He was wearing a woolen jumper, and looked as if he hadn’t slept for a week. He did, however, brighten up at the sight of Darcy. “Darcy! I’m so happy you’re here! When did you get to England?”

 

Darcy opened her mouth to reply and realized she had no clue. She turned to Skaði. “What day is it?” she asked.

 

“Thursday,” Skaði replied.

 

“Three days ago,” Darcy said, turning back to Erik. “We would have come looking for you earlier, but we were busy.”

 

“I did try calling,” Erik said reproachfully.

 

“We’ve been out of service range,” Darcy said dryly. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

 

“Who is your friend?” Erik stared openly at Skaði as they headed out of the jail lobby. “And what are you wearing?”

 

“This is my sister, Skaði,” Darcy replied, because to hell with secrets. Besides, it’s not like Jane was going to not tell Erik, anyway. “And this is my uniform, apparently.”

 

“You don’t have a sister,” Erik protested. “You have three brothers.”

 

“A, it’s awesome that you remember that. Kudos to you. B, I’ve pretty much been lying to you since we met and I’ve got one hell of a story to tell you,” Darcy told him flatly. “But it will have to wait until we get back to the flat because there is no way I’m doing this in front of witnesses.”

 

“You lied to me?” Erik asked, sounding hurt. They exited the jail and Skaði went to flag down a taxi.

 

“If it makes you feel any better, I lied to pretty much everyone except Steve,” Darcy told him. “Including Jane.”

 

“But why?” Erik asked. Darcy groaned. He had a pathetic, kicked-puppy expression, which made Darcy feel like crap.

 

“I will explain everything, I promise,” Darcy told him. “Just give me a sec, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Erik said sadly, and continued to pout the whole way back to the flat.

 

XxxXxxX

 

“A norn?” Erik asked, staring at Darcy. 

 

“Yeah,” she replied, nodding.

 

“But that’s impossible,” Erik protested. “The norn’s aren’t real.”

 

“That’s what you said when we first met Thor, and look how that turned out,” Darcy replied, crossing her arms.

 

“But Darcy, I  _ know _ you,” Erik said. “You can’t possible be a norn.”

 

“What part of Human reincarnation of ancient norse goddess did you miss?” Darcy asked. “I was born on Earth, I have human parents and everything, but I’m still a norn.”

 

Erik shook his head. “I can’t believe it.”

 

Darcy sighed and looked over at Skaði, who was sitting in a chair, knitting, with Kneppa sleeping in her lap. “Little help here, sis?”

 

“Oh, I think you’re doing quite all right on your own,” Skaði said with a smug smile. Darcy stuck her tongue out at her. She turned back to Erik.

 

“What is it going to take to convince you I’m telling the truth?” she asked wearily.

 

Erik shook his head again. “It’s not that I think you’re lying,” he said. “It’s just… It’s a lot to take in.”

 

“How do you think  _ I _ felt?” Darcy asked indignantly. “I’ve only known I was a norn for two years.”

 

“Why do you not demonstrate your powers?” Skaði suggested. “Then he cannot deny you speak the truth.”

 

Darcy considered that. Most of her abilities were non-visible, but she did have one trick up her sleeve… She held out her hand, empty, palm up, and summoned the largest thing she had stored in her pocket dimension. The bottle of water appeared standing upright, balanced on her palm.

 

Erik jerked back with a startled gasp. There had been no sleight of hand, no trick. One minute her hand had been empty, the next it was not. “How did you do that?” he demanded.

 

“I’ve created a tiny pocket dimension that only I can access,” Darcy explained. “I can use it to store things, as long as they’re not too big.” She held the bottle out toward Erik, who took it slowly, examining it as he thought it might be some kind of fraud. “I can do other things, too.”

 

“Such as what?” Erik asked, looking up from the bottle to stare at her again.

 

“I can read people. I get a feeling for their emotions, bits of their future and their past, their worst fears, greatest regrets.” Darcy leaned forward. “I read you the moment I met you, Erik. You used to want to be an astronaut, but you’re claustrophobic and you get motion sickness, so you studied astronomy instead. You still feel as if your divorce was your fault, and you wish you had been better about seeing your son. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to get this personal, but you wanted proof.”

 

“ _ How _ could you know that?” Erik demanded. “I never even told Jane any of that!”

 

“I told you,” Darcy said, and pointed to herself. “Norn.”

 

Erik was silent for a long moment. “Let’s say I did believe you,” he said eventually. “What is a norn doing working as an intern for an astrophysicist?”

 

Darcy shrugged. “I like it?” she offered. “The hours are great, I like my boss, and I get to hang out with the Avengers. Besides, if I hadn’t been working for Jane, I never would have figured out who and what I was. It was kinda like Fate.”

 

“There is no ‘kind of,’” Skaði corrected. “We are goddesses of Fate, my dearest sister.”

 

Erik looked at Skaði. “And she is also a norn?” he asked weakly.

 

“Yes,” Darcy replied. “There’s nine of us total.”

 

Erik rubbed his face. He looked gray-faced and terribly exhausted. “And what does this have to do with you and Jane being gone for three days?” he asked.

 

“Uh… not much,” Darcy admitted. “We got here and we detected those gravitational anomalies you were telling us about so we went to investigate and Jane got infected by an Infinity Stone and then Thor took us to Asgard to fix her except we got attacked by Dark Elves and then Thor accidentally electrocuted me so I had to stay behind when he and his friends took Jane to Svartalfheim to get the Aether out of her and then Skaði and I came back to Earth to look for you… so, yeah,” she finished lamely.

 

Erik stared at Darcy for a very long time. “I need a drink,” he announced, and got up off the couch. He shuffled past Darcy into the kitchen and started opening cupboards.

 

“That...didn’t go terribly,” Darcy said.

 

“Hmm,” Skaði replied. “It would have been easier if you had told them right when you found out.”

 

“Please don’t be logical when I am wallowing in self-pity,” Darcy said, rolling her eyes.

 

Erik must have found the liquor cupboard because Darcy heard liquid being poured into a glass. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Actually, a drink sounded pretty good round about now…

 

The front door downstairs slammed open and there was a stampede of footsteps. “Darcy!” Jane’s voice yelled.

 

“Jane!” Darcy yelled back, and leapt to her feet. She ran down the stairs. Jane, Thor, and Embla where in the downstairs sitting room, talking excitedly amongst themselves. Darcy flung herself at Jane, catching her friend up in a tight embrace.

 

“Oh, my god, I’m so happy to see you, thank god you’re okay, I was so worried!” Darcy babbled in Jane’s ear. She had sensed the moment she’d touched Jane that the Aether was gone, that Jane was safe.

 

Jane hugged Darcy back just as tight. “Oh, I was worried about you, too! I thought for sure Odin was going to arrest you or something!”

 

“He tried, but Frigga and one of my sisters snuck me out of Asgard,” Darcy told her. She released Jane and held her at arm’s length.  “Are you okay? Did it work? Did you destroy the Aether?”

 

“Apparently it takes more strength than I have to destroy the Aether,” Thor said regretfully. “Malekith now possesses it.”

 

“I  _ told _ you you could not destroy and Infinity Stone,” Embla said, gesturing broadly.

 

Darcy sent a mild glare at her younger sister. “Dude. Not helping.”

 

“She did get us off of Svartalfheim,” Jane said. “I don’t think we would have made it back without her.” She gave Darcy a sidelong look. “She said you sent her to help us.”

 

“Technically it was Wyrd’s idea, but I did ask them for help,” Darcy replied.

 

Erik and Skaði came down the stairs at that moment, and Erik lit up at the sight of Thor. “Thor! So good to see you again!”

 

“Erik, my friend, well met,” Thor greeted gravely, and crossed over to hug Erik. Once they parted, Erik’s expression sobered.

 

“Loki is not coming, too, is he?” he asked with apprehension.

 

Thor’s face fell and Jane raised her hand to cover her mouth. Darcy’s stomach sank as her heart skipped anxiously.

 

“Loki,” Thor began, and then his voice failed him. “Loki is dead.”

 

Darcy felt as if the floor had been yanked out from underneath her. She would have fallen if Skaði had not caught her around the waist. She felt numb, the others’ voices suddenly distant.

 

_ Loki was dead _ .

 

She couldn’t believe it. She  _ wouldn’t _ believe it. Because if it was true, and Loki  _ was _ dead, then it was her fault. She had sent him to his death, and he had gone willingly, just to please her.

  
Oh, god. What had she done?


	21. Don't Sleep Through The End Of The World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meh. Another short chapter. Ah, well. I needed it to end where it did.
> 
> Good news! The audit is done at work! Thank goodness. Any more and I think I would have lost my mind. Now we can go back to our regularly scheduled insanity. Oh, the joys of working at a police department...
> 
> Enjoy! Don't be afraid to drop a comment, or two. Remember, my muse is a greedy bitch!

They’d come up with a plan to stop Malekith, changed into more world-saving appropriate attire, and loaded the equipment into the car (which they’d recovered from the warehouse district) before anyone thought to ask why Erik had been arrested in the first place.

 

“Well, you see,” he replied, embarrassed, “I was following the gravitational anomalies, and placing the spikes when, well, I didn’t realize I was at Stonehenge, and one thing led to another…”

 

Jane stared at Erik for a long moment. “You didn’t realize you were at Stonehenge,” she echoed flatly.

 

Erik shuffled his feet, color rising in his weathered cheeks. “I was preoccupied at the time,” he muttered.

 

Jane rolled her eyes. Thor came back with the last of the gravitational spikes under one arm and Jane’s bag under the other. “Lady Skaði says we have less than an hour before the Convergence,” he declared.

 

Darcy roused herself from where she sat on the couch, watching the proceedings with dull eyes. She’d been caught up in her own thoughts, unable to focus long enough to help with the preparations. Skaði had asked her once if she was alright, but otherwise no one had attempted to speak with her.

 

She shook her head to clear it. She needed to focus on the task at hand. If they didn’t stop Malekith from using the Aether on the Convergence, they would all be up shit creek without a canoe, much less paddles. She was glad Skaði and Embla had stuck around to help. They would probably come in handy before the day was out.

 

The other two norns descended the stairs to join the others in the front room. Like Darcy and Jane, they had donned more discrete Earth clothing, though where they’d gotten it from, Darcy had no idea, as both norns were too tall to borrow from either Human. 

 

Jane flitted around like a nervous hummingbird, making sure that everything was ready. The fact that she was wearing bright red rubber rain boots just made the image more amusing. She almost tripped over Kneppa and Thor caught her from face planting.

 

Darcy got to her feet and shuffled over to the others, getting ready to head out. Embla abruptly turned to her and held out a pair of staves. “I was told these belong to you,” the younger norn said, offering them to Darcy. Darcy looked down. They were the red staves Loki had carved for her. She swallowed thickly and took them from Embla.

 

“Thank you,” she said in a rough voice.

 

Jane looked around at all of them. “We’re not all going to fit in the car,” she said.

 

“I will meet you there,” Thor said quickly, clearly not enjoying the idea of another ride in the cramped car. He touched Jane’s cheek. “This is a sound plan. It will work.”

 

Jane nodded firmly. “Of course it will. Everyone knows what they’re doing, right? Thor’s gonna keep watch for Malekith and keep him busy when he gets here. Erik and I are gonna get to a central location where we can control the anomalies, and you norns are going to set the spikes.”

 

Everyone murmured back affirmations, and with that they headed out to the car, Thor taking off with Mjolnir as soon as they were outside. It took them almost twenty minutes to get to Greenwich. Jane, Erik, and Darcy spent the whole drive worrying while Embla and Skaði continuously reassured them that they would make it on time. When they finally did arrive, they tumbled out of the cars and immediately went to work.

 

Darcy, Embla, and Skaði each took three of the spikes and split up over the area while Erik and Jane headed for the roof of the local university. Darcy kept glancing at the sky reflexively as she headed to her first location. It was a wide-open lawn facing the water, and there people wandering around, completely unaware of the coming crisis.

 

She heard it first, as she started to hammer the spike in; the surge of water. She spun around and saw the strange chevron of ripples surging towards land, and then the alien spaceship appeared out of thin air. It was jet black, dotted with red lights, enormously tall, and it wasn’t slowing down.

 

“Shit!” Darcy spat just as people began screaming. She grabbed her spikes and booked it. The ground shook beneath her feet as the Svartalf ship reached land and  _ just kept going _ , ploughing a deep groove through earth and concrete.

 

When the ship finally came to a stop, Darcy whirled around to look. An elevator of sorts raced down the front of the ship, opening to reveal Malekith, his face horrifically scarred, and a cluster of white-masked Dark Elves.

 

“Not good,” Darcy muttered under her breath, backing further away. “Soooo not good.”

 

Thor landed between Darcy and Malekith, going down on one knee and cracking the flagstones beneath him. As he strode forward to confront Malekith, Darcy took the opportunity to beat a hasty retreat. Jane was counting on her to plant the rest of the spikes. If she couldn’t, then Thor was not going to be enough to keep Malekith occupied until after the Convergence.

 

People were running, screaming, in all directions as Darcy fought her way to the next point. Many of them were pointing up at the sky and staring. When she looked up, she was startled to see giant openings in the sky, portals to the other realms. If she squinted, she could see silver branches drawing the portals closer, binding them together.

 

_ Yggdrasil _ .

 

Darcy tore her eyes away from the sky. She had more important things to worry about. Once she placed the last spike, she headed back to the university where Jane and Erik waited. Skaði and Embla would be heading that way, also.

 

As Darcy rounded the corner to head back towards the lawn, she saw a squad of Svartalves bearing down on her, swords glinting in their hands. Darcy slowed to a halt and sighed. This was really gonna suck. She summoned her staves from her pocket dimension and held them up, waiting for the Svartalves to close with her.

 

The first one made the mistake of underestimating her, sweeping his sword in a wide, sloppy attack at her midsection. She caught the blade easily between her staves, twisted, and yanked it out of the Svartalf’s grasp. She couldn’t tell if it was surprised behind it’s blank, white mask, but the creature recoiled sharply away.

 

Darcy pressed the attack immediately, lunging forward and slamming one of her staves against the side of the creature's head with all her strength. It was hard enough to spin the Svartalf around before it dropped; dead or unconscious, Darcy didn’t know.

 

The others paused, sizing her up again. This time two attacked at the same time, coming from opposite directions. Darcy spun in place, using her staves to direct one’s sword into the other’s chest. The injured Svartalf fell with a wet gurgle. Darcy didn’t stop, didn’t let herself think that she may have just  _ killed _ someone. There were still two more, and they were just as likely to kill  _ her _ .

 

This time they lunged at her from the same direction, side by side. Darcy surged forward to meet them, dropped into a low lunge step and ducked under their blades as she hooked her staves around their ankles, tripping them both. She pushed to her feet and spun around, slamming the ends of her staves into their backs. One fell forward, one did not. Darcy ducked again and struck at the Svartalf’s face. He blocked her easily, as she’d intended, and she jabbed the second stave into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him. Then, as he stumbled backwards, she swung both staves into the side of his head, knocking his mask off.

 

The face beneath was startlingly human-like, a male, no older than she, with dead-white skin and pale blue eyes. Those eyes stared widely at her, dazed from the blow to his head. Darcy paused, hesitated, and stepped backwards. She didn’t see the other attacking until it was almost too late.

 

Darcy deflected the sword thrust by instinct only, the impact almost shaking the staves out of her hands. The still-masked Dark Elf swung his sword up for an overhand blow that Darcy caught with her crossed staves. With a flick of her wrists, she disarmed the Elf and cracked her stave across his head, knocking him senseless.

 

The unmasked Elf hefted his sword and moved to lunge at her, but there was a ripple and he disappeared. Startled, Darcy looked around. She caught sight of Jane on the roof of the university, watching her. Jane waved. Darcy waved back, and started jogging towards the university again.

 

There were cars abandoned between her and her goal, and Darcy had to weave in between them. She rubbed up against one and was surprised when it moved easily at her touch. It was, in fact, floating a couple inches off the ground. Darcy stopped to take a second look. The space around the car hummed with energy, foreign and out of place. Darcy poked the car experimentally. It swayed away from her and then rocked back into place.

 

“Cool,” she whispered to herself, momentarily distracted. She flinched when two Svartalves leapt onto the roof a car not far away, and then down to the ground to approach her. Darcy waited until they got closer, and then shoved the floating car with all her strength. She easily pushed it forward into a second car, pinning the Elves between with a bone-shattering crunch. Darcy didn’t stay to see if they were dead. She ran.

 

When she reached the courtyard, she knew it was already too late. Embla and Skaði were already there, shielding their eyes against the wind whipped by a red tornado. Malekith stood at the base of his ship, in the vortex of the storm, hands outstretched as the Aether spread out over the silver branches into the Realms. Darcy saw Erik and Jane on the other side of the courtyard, and Thor struggling against the wind towards Malekith, three gravitational spikes in one hand.

 

“What is he doing?” Darcy yelled at Skaði over the wind.

 

“I do not know!” Skaði yelled back. “Whatever it is, he must be quick! There is no more time!”

 

Even as Skaði spoke, Thor threw the first spike like a javelin. It buried itself in Malekith’s arm, just below the shoulder. Jane raised the device in her hands and turned the dial. There was a ripple, and Malekith’s arm disappeared.

 

“You think you can defeat me?” Malekith’s voice boomed over the sound of the storm. “You are no match for the Aether!”

 

Thor threw the second spike, and Jane turned a dial. Malekith’s other arm disappeared. But the Aether and the storm gathered and formed shadow-limbs in their places. Thor planted his feet and leapt towards Malekith, Mjolnir crackling with white lightning. With a pure, bell-like tone, Thor drove the last spike home with his hammer, straight through Malekith’s chest. There was a terrible roar and a flash of red-black energy, and Darcy was flung off her feet.

 

It was silent when she looked up. The storm was gone and her ears rang with the absence of noise. The Svartalf ship was still there, but Malekith, and the Aether, was gone. Thor lay on the shattered flagstones on his back, face scarred and bleeding, eyes closed.

 

“Thor!” Jane cried, and shoved the device into Erik’s hands before running to the Asgardian’s side. She fell to her knees, pressing one hand to his chest and the other to his cheek. “Thor,” she called again, softer this time.

 

Darcy heard an ominous, thunderous creaking sound, and then a dull rumbled. The Svartalf ship abruptly settled, and began to tip forward, right towards Jane and Thor. Jane’s head snapped up and she saw the danger. She scrambled to her feet and tried to drag Thor, but he was too heavy. Failing that, Jane threw herself across Thor, as if her body would be an adequate shield.

 

For Darcy, time seemed to slow to a halt, the space ship hanging at a precarious angle. Jane and Erik and Thor were frozen in place. Even the dust in the air remained still, suspended. Then Skaði stepped forward, startling Darcy out of her daze. Skaði started walking briskly towards Jane and Thor. Darcy and Embla fell in behind her at the same time. Together, the three norns reached Jane and Thor. Skaði and Embla each took one of Thor’s arms while Darcy grabbed Jane around the waist.

 

“Be ready,” Skaði said. “Erik is going to activate an anomaly. We must get them out of the way before he does.”

 

“I am ready,” Embla replied.

 

“Ready,” Darcy added.

 

Time started moving again, and Darcy lunged toward safety, dragging Jane along with her. Skaði and Embla heaved Thor after them, just as the spaceship slammed down where they had been. Or, it would have slammed down, if it had not fallen through the anomaly that opened up in the ground beneath it.

 

“What-- How-- Darcy?” Jane stuttered as Darcy let go. “But you were all the way over there! How did you get over here?”

 

“Remember how I told you I could stop time?” Darcy asked, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. “Yeah, well, my sisters can, too.”

 

Jane looked around and saw Skaði and Embla standing over Thor, checking to make sure he was still breathing. “You saved us?” Jane asked breathlessly.

 

“I helped, too!” Erik announced, waving the device.

 

“He’s right,” Darcy said, hooking her thumb in Erik’s direction. “There was nothing we could have done about the spaceship. We just made sure the anomaly didn’t eat you.”

 

Thor blinked his eyes open and saw the two norns leaning over him. He stared at them blankly for a moment, then asked, “Did it work?”

 

“Yes,” Skaði replied tartly. “But I doubt it knocked any sense into you. What were you thinking, attacking him like that? You could have been killed.”

 

“Since when is that different from any of my other plans?” Thor asked. Jane ran back over to him when he tried to sit up. She threw her arms around his neck with enough force to almost knock him back down. He caught her gingerly and cradled her in his big arms. “Ah, Jane, I am all right. I am not injured.”

 

Erik came over to stand next to Darcy. “So…” he said after a moment of thoughtful silence. “Norn, eh?”

 

Darcy nodded tiredly. “Norn,” she replied.

 

They left Greenwich before the authorities arrived. There were too many questions that would be asked that they couldn’t answer. Besides, SHIELD was most likely going to show up to sterilize the scene, and they would know where to find them later for debrief.

 

They all felt in need of a shower, a nap, and a drink, but when they returned to the flat, they were too tired to do more than dig two dusty bottles of gin out of the back of the pantry and pass them around, drinking straight from the bottle. Jane insisted on tending to the scrapes on Thor’s face, despite his protests.

 

“I do not know how you do this,” Skaði told Darcy, holding out one of the bottles to her twin. Darcy took it and raised it to her mouth.

 

“Do what?” she asked before taking a swig of the liquor. It burned on the way down.

 

“Dive into danger like this,” Skaði replied. “You’ve done it before. It’s terrifying. And what if we had been killed? Three norns, their vessels destroyed. It would take the Sisterhood  _ decades _ to recover.”

 

Darcy shrugged and offered the bottle to Erik, who refused with a shake of his head. She took another swig and grimaced. “I dunno. You just do what has to be done, you know?  _ Someone’s _ got to save the world.”

 

“Yes, that is why we have lagsmaðr,” Embla said, holding her hand out for the bottle. Darcy passed it over. “We are far too valuable to risk ourselves on a daily basis.”

 

“Just because we’re valuable doesn’t make us better than other people,” Darcy argued. Both of her sisters stared at her blankly.

 

“Yes, it does,” Embla said, and took a long drink from bottle.

 

“No, it doesn’t.” Darcy argued, and struggled to sit up and lean forward. “We have, what? A few super powers? We can see the future and a couple of other things, but that doesn’t make us special, or  _ better _ . It just makes us different. And if we can use that power to help people, then shouldn’t we?”

 

“We  _ do _ help people,” Skaði pointed out. “But our consideration must be for the good of the whole universe, not for a single person, or even a single realm.”

 

“But then what’s the  _ point _ ?” Darcy demanded. She knew she was already tipsy, having had at least a quarter of a bottle on an empty stomach, and the alcohol was making her argumentative. “If we can’t save a single person, what’s the point of trying at all? I mean, it’s the  _ people _ that are important, isn’t it?”

 

Skaði hummed to herself. “I think you are influenced too much by your human vessel, my dear sister,” she said, and her words were slurred. “You’ve lost sight of the big picture.”

 

“But the big picture is made of little pixels,” Darcy argued. “And changes you make on the small scale can have big consequences.  _ People  _ are important.  _ Persons _ . Each person. Everyone is important in their own way.”

 

Embla stared at her, wide eyed. “It must be such a chaotic universe to you,” she said. “To see so many tiny pieces of it. Doesn’t it get too loud?”

 

“No,” Darcy replied stubbornly. “It’s full of life.”

 

Skaði reached over and patted Darcy’s arm. “When you are older, you will see why we think the way that we do. If we say the universe like you do, the pain of it, the misery, it would drive us all mad.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Darcy asked, frowning at her twin.

 

Skaði screwed her eyes closed. “Did you feel it? During the Convergence? Did you feel the pain, and fear, and death?”

 

“Yes,” Darcy replied sullenly.

 

Skaði opened her green eyes and met Darcy’s gaze. “You only feel it now at times of great stress, because you are young in your vessel and still coming into your power. But we feel it at all times. We feel the sadness, and the pain, and the fear, and the death, of all living creatures throughout the universe. It is our burden. If we are to bear it, we must be cold, and unfeeling, otherwise we will go mad.”

 

Darcy said nothing for a long time. “I didn’t know that,” she finally said, softly.

 

Embla wordlessly handed her the bottle of gin back.

 

They fell asleep where they lay, on couches and in armchairs, one by one until all of them, norns included, slipped deep into unconsciousness in an attempt to recover from their battle.

 

XxxXxxX

 

Embla, Skaði, and Thor left the next morning, the last despite Jane’s pleas for him to stay. He had no choice, he told her. He was duty-bound to return to Asgard and accept whatever punishment the Allfather meted out. He gave his word he would do all in his power to return, but Jane was not satisfied. She had heard that promise before, and had no faith in it.

 

When they had left, Darcy curled up in the downstairs sitting room sofa, dressed in her pajamas, with her staves clutched to her chest. They hummed with magic,  _ Loki’s _ magic, and the sense of him nearby was almost comforting.

 

She didn’t know if she grieved for him. What she felt was too confusing to call grief. She felt guilt, yes, but there was also relief, and a strange longing. Perhaps wistfulness. She missed something she couldn’t describe, something that almost was, but hadn’t been.

 

Jane and Erik left her alone. Jane was too wrapped up in her own misery at letting Thor go a second time, and Erik was still trying to sort out everything that had happened the day before. None of them spoke for the entire day.

 

The next morning, however, Erik corralled both of them into the kitchen and sat them down. “So,” he said, business-like. “What is our story?”

 

“What?” Darcy asked dully, picking at the tablecloth.

 

“SHIELD is going to come knocking any time now, and we have to get our story straight,” he insisted.

 

“Story?” Jane echoed.

 

“Yes,” Erik said, exasperated. “Unless you want to tell them that Darcy is a norn and has super-human powers.”

 

“No,” Darcy and Jane said at the same time.

 

“Okay,” Erik said, lacing his fingers together. “Then what is our story?”

 

Together the three of them hashed out a somewhat-believable account of what had occurred, weaving half-truths with outright lies and skipping over entire facts until they were satisfied it would stand up to scrutiny. Then, at Erik’s insistence, they drilled each other on the story until they could accurately regurgitate it, varying wording and slight details to make it believable.

 

Erik’s precautions proved useful, because Agent Sitwell showed up the next day, looking annoyed and over-worked, and questioned each one of them separately for hours until he was satisfied. Darcy thought for a moment she was going to have to use the norn-voice on him, but then he accepted their story and left.

 

Steve called a few hours later, and Darcy told him everything, from the moment she lost Jane to the moment she snatched Jane to safety. As the truth spilled out of her, she began to cry, and ended up sobbing into the phone for fifteen minutes until she could compose herself.

 

“I’m just so tired,” she told Steve miserably. “I’m tired of being responsible. I’m tired of having to be brave. I don’t want to have to save the world. I just want to be  _ me _ .”

 

Steve was silent for a long time. “For as long as I can remember, I just wanted to do the right thing,” he said at length. “I wanted to stand up to people. Fight back. And now I can, and I  _ have _ … and I can’t help but thinking… Is it worth it?”

 

Darcy held her phone to her ear, breathing thickly through tear-caused congestion.

 

“At the end of the day, you have to look at your choices, and you have to live with them,” Steve went on. “Do you think you did the right thing?”

 

“Yes,” Darcy replied slowly.

 

“I know it’s a lot, Darce. I do. I know it’s not what you want to hear. But you told me once you believed you had these powers for a reason.”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy whispered. “I just wish sometimes I didn’t.”

 

“All the more reason it should be you,” Steve told her. 

 

“I know,” Darcy said. 

 

“Do you want me to come out there?”

 

Darcy wiped her nose. “No,” she said after a moment of thinking. “There’s nothing really for you to do. SHIELD’s handling the clean up. We’re basically just sitting around in our pajamas and drinking cheap alcohol.”

 

“That’s not a healthy coping mechanism, you know.”

 

“I know. We’ll do healthy later. Right now it’s easier than thinking.”

 

“If you need me, I’m here, though.”

 

“I know,” Darcy said again. “Thanks, Steve.”

 

“Anytime.”

 

Erik went back to work the next day. He said he needed to get his mind off of things and working would help. Darcy almost wished Jane would work so  _ they _ would have something to do, but Jane continued to mope around the flat in her pajamas, glancing out at the windows every few minutes and jumping at every noise.

 

By the fifth day after the Convergence, Darcy had had enough. She showered, got dressed, and then left the flat. They were almost out of food, and unless they started working their way through the local delivery shops, they were going to starve. Darcy had never been a fan of takeout, seeing as how most of it wasn’t Kosher, so she was going to take matters into her own hands.

 

There was a Tesco two blocks down from the flat, so Darcy braved the damp, chill January air to walk to the store. She could have gotten a cab, but the walk helped clear her head. Even just being in the fresh air after five days cooped up in the dusty flat lifted her spirits.

 

Darcy enjoyed the mindless solitude of grocery shopping, the inane debate of one brand over another, stopping in the middle of an aisle to consider an impulse choice. She was disappointed in the lack of peanut butter but delighted in the variety of Cadbury. Once she’d checked out, she considered getting a cab again, but she hadn’t really gotten all that much and she was able to carry all her bags herself. She set off down the street again, chin tucked under her scarf.

 

As she neared the flat, she saw there was a man standing on the front step, leaning against the door. He had his back to her, head bowed. All she could see of him was the slumped shoulders clad in a black raincoat and disheveled, greasy black hair.

 

Darcy stopped in her tracks, several doors down. He wasn’t with SHIELD, she knew that much for sure. A SHIELD agent wouldn’t lurk on the front stoop like this. Darcy’s mind raced. Who was he? Where was he from? More importantly, what did he want?

 

She moved forward a few steps, and then a few more, hoping to catch a better glimpse of him, to no avail. He was hunched into himself as if sheltering from the weather. Was he homeless? Looking for a place to get out of the cold? Then why hadn’t he rung the doorbell? If he had, Jane would have either invited him in or sent him on his way. No, he was waiting for something.

 

Already on edge from the events at Greenwich, Darcy’s anxiety jumped up another few notches. She considered turning around and leaving, and calling Jane when she’d gotten somewhere safe. But she rejected that idea almost as soon as she’d had it. She was a norn, for goodness sake. She had no need to run from danger.

 

She set her grocery bags down on the sidewalk and summoned her staves. She hefted them in her hands a couple of times, feeling their comforting weight. Then she lifted her chin and strode forward with more confidence than she felt.

 

She reached the sidewalk directly in front of the flat and stopped. The man’s face was still turned away from her, but she could see the side of his neck, the shape of his jaw, and she stopped dead, a cold feeling opening in the pit of her stomach.

 

As if sensing her presence, the man turned towards her, and Loki stared at her with pale green eyes, bruised and sunken deep in their sockets. His tangled hair tumbled forward over his face, but could not hide the hollow cheeks and ashen skin. One hand supported himself against the front of the brownstone, the other clutched at his chest under the raincoat.

 

Darcy almost dropped her staves in shock, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.  “ _ Loki _ ?” she finally managed to whisper.

 

He tried to smile but it twisted into a pained grimace, an animal baring of teeth, and he grunted. “Darcy,” he replied, his breath catching over the word.

 

“We thought you were  _ dead _ ,” Darcy said, still frozen to the spot.

  
“Sorry… to disappoint,” Loki gritted out. He sank slowly to his knees, and then pitched forward onto his face.


	22. My Touch Is Black And Poisonous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guess what! We're at 300 pages! Quite a milestone for me. Like I've said before, this is the longest single project I've ever embarked upon.
> 
> And yes, a number of you have commented on the ending of the last chapter. From here on out, I will be forging my own path, and will no longer following canon! We're in uncharted waters, me hearties. Here there be monsters!

Darcy lunged forward but she wasn’t in time to catch Loki as he fell, and he sprawled across the front step of the brownstone. Darcy dropped to her knees and hauled him over onto his back, cradling his head in her lap. He was unconscious, eyes closed and mouth slack.

 

She moved his raincoat aside and gasped at the red-brown stain that spread across the front of his shirt, still wet and tacky. Thor had not mentioned  _ how _ Loki had been injured that he believed his brother to be dead, but apparently it involved getting impaled through the chest.

 

Darcy’s mind raced. Loki had somehow not only survived what Thor had surmised to be a fatal wound, he had managed to drag himself through the Ways to Earth. It had been five days since the Convergence. What sort of treatment had Loki managed to do on himself, if anything at all? Could Asgardians get sepsis? She had no idea.

 

She pulled out her cell phone and hit speed dial for Jane. Jane answered with a disinterested greeting, and Darcy took a deep breath. “Don’t freak out,” she instructed.

 

“What happened?” Jane demanded, immediately coming to full attention.

 

“Loki’s on our front doorstep and I think he’s dying.”

 

“ _ What _ ?!”

 

“I  _ told _ you not to freak out.”

 

“Loki is  _ here _ ?” Jane repeated, her voice shrill.

 

“Yeah, and I can’t get him inside on my own, so get down here and help me.”

 

Jane hung up without replying, and Darcy shoved her phone back into her pocket. She looked down at Loki again. She lightly touched his cheek. His skin was warm against hers, which in anyone else would not have been concerning, but she knew for a fact Loki’s temperature ran significantly cooler than a Human’s, given his Frost Giant nature.

 

“Shit,” she muttered to herself. So not only did he have a chest wound, he had a raging fever, as well. Darcy was not qualified for this.

 

The door was flung open and Jane stared down at Loki’s unconscious body. “Oh, my god,” she said. She caught sight of his face. “Holy crap. He looks awful.”

 

“He’s burning up,” Darcy reported. “I think his wound is infected.”

 

“He was stabbed through the chest,” Jane reported. “With a giant freakin’ sword.”

 

“Awesome,” Darcy muttered. “Help me get him inside.”

 

Between the two of them they managed to drag him inside and onto the nearest couch. Darcy was grateful he was unconscious because it no doubt would have been excruciatingly painful. Once he was situated, she went to retrieve her abandoned groceries. She came back to find Jane staring at Loki, chewing her thumbnail.

 

“What are we supposed to do with him?” Jane asked as soon as Darcy returned.

 

“I don’t know,” Darcy replied. “Try to keep him from dying?”

 

“But  _ then _ what?” Jane demanded. “I mean, it’s  _ Loki _ .”

 

“I know, I know,” Darcy said, going to wash her hands. “Do we have any first aid supplies?”

 

“You’re going to do first aid on a sword wound?” Jane asked dubiously.

 

“Do you have any better ideas?” Darcy demanded, returning to the couch. She dragged a chair over so she could sit next to Loki and started unbuttoning his shirt. “It’s not like we can take him to the hospital.”

 

Jane went back to chewing on her thumbnail. “I guess not,” she finally conceded, and disappeared to look for supplies.

 

Darcy braced herself for what she was going to see as she peeled the blood-stained material back and still ended up gagging. The wound was raw and angry, gaping open. The skin around it was gray and dessicated, cracked like dry earth. It oozed blood and brown fluid, and smelled rotten. 

 

“Oh, god,” Darcy said, pressing her forearm over her nose. She was  _ so _ not qualified for this. The wound was going to need to be cleaned and closed, and Loki was also going to need some kind of antibiotics to combat the infection. Jane was right; this was beyond first aid.

 

Jane returned with a bottle of iodine, gauze, and medical tape. “This is all we ha--oh my  _ god _ .” She stopped several paces away from the couch and slapped her hand over her mouth.

 

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Darcy said grimly. “Look, we’re gonna need more than that, and I don’t know how to handle this kind of injury. I’m gonna have to take a field trip.”

 

“Field trip?” Jane echoed.

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said again. “I’m going to talk to the other norns, see if they can help.”

 

“O-okay,” Jane said shakily. “You mean, like, what did you call it, dreamwalking?”

 

“Uh-huh,” Darcy walked over to the other couch and laid down. “I don’t know how long this is gonna take. Keep an eye on him. Make sure he keeps breathing.”

 

“What are you going to do?” Jane asked, eyes wide.

 

“I’m going to try to sleep,” Darcy said, settling in and getting comfortable. “I’m still not great at controlling the dreamwalk, so we’ll see how it goes.”

 

“Um, can I watch?” Jane asked, sitting down in the chair Darcy had vacated.

 

Darcy raised her eyebrows. “I guess. All you’re gonna see is me asleep. My body doesn’t physically go anywhere.”

 

“Oh, okay,” Jane said, looking between her and Loki. “Just… please hurry.”

 

“I’ll do my best,” Darcy said, and closed her eyes. She measured her breathing, willed her heartbeat to slow, and let herself sink into the norn-trance, her consciousness beginning to drift. She reached out her awareness towards her sisters, seeking to use them as a guide for the dreamwalk.

 

She drifted for a while, her consciousness ebbing and flowing. She saw scattered images, heard muffled sounds, like pieces of dreams half-remembered. Finally she felt the connection between herself and one of her sisters solidify, and she used it to reel herself in.

 

_ Wyrd stood in the middle of her garden, a canvas apron over her white gown. Her hair was caught up in a simple knot at the back of her head, and her arms were bare to the elbow. In one hand she held a trowel, in the other some kind of plant bulb. _

 

_ “What is it, child?” she asked as soon as Darcy felt the Hall of Stars materialize around her . “You’re in quite a state.” _

 

_ “Loki just showed up on my doorstep with a sword wound through his chest, and I think it’s infected,” Darcy replied without preamble. “I have no idea how to take care of an injury like that and I think he might die.” _

 

_ “Well, now,” Wyrd murmured to herself. She wiped her hands off on her apron. “Come with me, child,” she instructed. “I will get you what you need.” She reached out and took hold of Darcy’s wrist. There was a lurch, and a feeling of weightlessness, and then… _

 

Sunlight shone through high windows of a large room, wooden floor covered in sheepskins and walls made from gray stone. High above their heads, the ceiling was held up by huge beams of wood, and a fire crackled in hearths at either end of the hall.

 

Darcy blinked and looked around, taking in her new surroundings. “Where are we?” she asked.

 

“This is my home,” Wyrd replied, getting up from where she was lying on a low couch in front of one of the fires. “We are on Niflheim.”

 

Darcy walked forward a few steps toward one of the windows. It was snowing outside, and the light was beginning to fade. Inside, however, it was quite cozy. “You live alone?” she asked. She saw doors to other parts of the house, mansion, whatever it was. It seemed to be a pretty good size.

 

“Yes, ever since my last lagsmaðr died,” Wyrd said. She was wearing a maroon tunic over dark brown trousers and a tan, fur-lined robe. She moved a bit more stiffly in waking life than she did in the dreamwalk, and her face was slightly more lined. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Darcy said quickly.

 

“Oh, you need not be,” Wyrd said with a wave of her hand. “We were together for over thirty centuries, and he lived a full life. We were happy together.” She walked over to a elaborately-carved cupboard and opened the doors, poking through the jars and containers inside. She selected a few and placed them in a basket.

 

“Are all the norns... _ together _ with their lagsmaðr?” Darcy walked over to join Wyrd, looking over her shoulder.

 

“No, not all,” Wyrd told her. “But norns do not marry, and some use the bonding of the lagsmaðr in place of wedding vows.”

 

“Oh,” Darcy said. Wyrd turned around and handed the basket to Darcy. 

 

“I take it you do not remember how to use these?” the elder norn said.

 

Darcy stared down into the basket. “Uh...yeah. I don’t remember anything.”

 

“This will cleanse the wound,” Wyrd said, pointing at a glass bottle filled with a clear liquid. “And  _ this _ will slow bleeding. This will numb skin, and this will ease pain.” She continued to point to each and explain its use, making Darcy repeat after her until she got everything right.

 

“If you have any questions, you will come and see me immediately, yes?” Wyrd prompted when she was done explaining.

 

“Can’t you come with me and do it yourself?” Darcy pleaded, clutching the basket to her chest.

 

Wyrd patted her shoulder. “Ah, child. You will do fine. Trust your instincts. You have done this before.”

 

“I know, it’s just…” Darcy chewed on her lower lip. “He could die.”

 

“You will find that his kind are not easily killed,” Wyrd told her. “I would not discount him just yet. Now go on. Off with you.”

 

When Darcy woke up, back in England, she had the basket clutched protectively to her chest. Jane was leaning over Loki, a worried expression on her face. “Is he still alive?” Darcy demanded, sitting up.

 

Jane turned to look at her and her eyes widened. “Where did you get that?” she asked, pointing at the basket in Darcy’s hands.

 

“One of my sisters gave it to me,” Darcy explained, checking through the basket’s contents.

 

“But how did you get it  _ here _ ?” Jane pressed.

 

“I can carry things with me when I dreamwalk,” Darcy said, getting to her feet. “Do you know if we have any gloves?”

 

Jane followed her into the kitchen. “But  _ how _ is that possible? You transfer your consciousness during a dreamwalk, but we’re talking about transporting matter instantaneously across light years!”

 

“Jane, I don’t know  _ how _ I do it,” Darcy said dismissively, washing her hands. She found latex gloves above the sink and grabbed a pair. “I don’t know how any of my powers work. I just know how to use them.”

 

“We need to explore this,” Jane insisted. “I mean, you’re breaking at least half a dozen laws of physics!”

 

“I’m a norn. I laugh in the face of physics,” Darcy replied, heading back to the living room. She sat down on pulled on the gloves before leaning over to examine Loki’s wound once more. The sight and smell turned her stomach, but she forced that aside, forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

 

Loki’s breathing deepened slightly and he blinked his eyes open, expression tightening in pain. He saw Darcy immediately but his eyes flicked to Jane and he tensed.

 

“Take it easy,” Darcy instructed. “We need to get this cleaned up.”

 

He glanced back at her with a frown. “Are you a healer now?” he asked dryly in a rough voice.

 

“Wyrd gave me a crash course,” Darcy replied, her voice just as dry. “Or we could always take you to the hospital.”

 

Loki’s lip curled with disdain and he forced himself to relax. Darcy handed him an opened bottle of water and two small capsules from one of the jars Wyrd had given her. He stared at them. “What is that?” he asked.

 

“Something to kill the pain,” she said impatiently. “Trust me, painkillers are your friend.”

 

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Will it make me sleep?” 

 

“Painkillers usually make you sleepy, but I don’t know for sure,” Darcy said, and offered the water and pills again. “Just take the damn pills, Loki.”

 

He glared at her, and took the capsules, swallowing them dry. Then he took a couple sips of water before placing the bottle on the floor. Darcy took out the antiseptic Wyrd had given her.

 

“I have no idea if this is gonna hurt or not,” she warned. “But try not to scream. We have neighbors.”

 

“I do not scream,” Loki told her, wrinkling his nose.

 

“Uh-huh,” Darcy said, and began to pour the liquid over the wound. It bubbled and hissed like peroxide, and mixed with the tainted blood to create a brown ooze. Loki’s muscles tightened reflexively and he clenched his jaw. A faint whimper still managed to escape, and he screwed his eyes closed.

 

Darcy paused to use a clean cloth to wipe the blood and ooze away from the wound. The smell of infection had already lessened, to her relief, and the flesh around the wound looked a little less gray. She began to pour the antiseptic again, and Loki caught his bottom lip between his teeth.

 

Darcy continued to pour and wipe, repeated the steps until the antiseptic was gone. By the time she was done, what little blood that leaked from the wound was clean, deep red, and the skin around the wound was angry and raw, but no longer dessicated and gray.

 

She quickly applied the powder to stop the bleeding, and then the paste to numb the skin. “I’m going to start stitching now,” she told Loki. “Do you need something to hold onto?”

 

“I will be fine,” he grated. There was blood on his lip and teeth from biting too hard. Jane got up from where she had been watching, pale-faced, and crossed over to kneel beside Darcy’s chair. She took Loki’s hand in both of hers.

 

“I got you,” she said softly. Loki gave her a surprised look, but didn’t withdraw his hand.

 

Darcy licked her lips nervously. “Okay. Here we go.” She threaded the curved needle with the thin, black suture thread, and leaned over to make the first stitch. Loki flinched when the needle pierced his skin, but didn’t make a sound. Compared to the gaping hole in his chest, the needle probably was a mere nuisance.

 

“How did the sword manage to miss your heart  _ and  _ lungs?” Darcy asked as she tied off the first stitch.

 

“My anatomy is not  _ exactly _ like the other Aesir,” Loki replied with difficulty. “My heart is...further to the right.” He reached over with his free hand and touched the area between his ribcage and stomach, just to the right of his sternum. “Here.”

 

“Lucky for you,” Darcy said. “Whoever did this also happened to miss all your major arteries.”

 

“Well, the sword was sticking out of  _ his _ chest at the time, also,” Loki rasped. “So I would not put much stock in his aim.”

 

“ _ Jesus _ ,” Darcy breathed, and looked over at Jane, who nodded, face white. She went back to work. “It’s been five days. Where’ve you been?”

 

“On Svartalfheim, for most of it,” Loki swallowed heavily and panted for breath. “When the wound worsened, I made my way here.”

 

“There had to have been other places you could have gone,” Darcy said, finishing off the fourth stitch.

 

“Truly?” Loki challenged, scowling. “Where else did I have but here?”

 

Darcy didn’t have a reply for that. It took fifteen stitches to close the wound, less than Darcy had anticipated. Loki’s eyes slipped closed halfway through, and Darcy thought he had lost consciousness until she saw the grip he had on Jane’s hands. After she’d finished the last stitch, she taped gauze over the wound and stripped her bloody gloves off.

 

She found the bottle of antibiotics Wyrd had given her and shook out one of the large tablets. “Loki,” she said, leaning toward him again. He opened his eyes. She handed him the pill. “Antibiotics,” she told him. “It’ll keep the wound from getting infected again.”

 

“I know what antibiotics are,” he snapped at her, but still took and swallowed the pill. Darcy sat back and looked at the mess they’d made of the couch.

 

“How mad do you think your mom is going to be?” she asked Jane.

 

“We’ll got to a rummage sale and buy a new one,” Jane replied, easing her hand out of Loki’s. “She’ll never notice.”

 

Darcy wiped as much of the blood from Loki’s skin as she could, and then threw away the towel and her gloves. She came back with a clean bedsheet. “Can you sit up?” she asked Loki. It took both Jane and Darcy to help him up, and they quickly removed his shirt and raincoat, which they really should have done first. Hey, Darcy never said she was good at this. They also removed Loki’s shoes and socks. Darcy considered removing Loki’s pants, but she didn’t want to discover whether or not he was wearing underwear, so she left those on.

 

Darcy covered Loki with the clean bedsheet before she and Jane retreated into the kitchen to talk in hushed whispers.

 

“What do we do now?” Jane asked.

 

“I don’t know,” Darcy replied.

 

“Is it safe to have him here?” Jane went back to chewing her thumbnail. Darcy reached over and batted Jane’s hand away from her mouth. She was going to give herself a hangnail.

 

“You saw him, he’s not in any shape to make trouble,” Darcy replied. “Besides, he’s not going to hurt me. Us. He won’t hurt you because he knows what you mean to me.”

 

Jane stared at her. “Okay, I get that you saved his life or whatever, but what’s  _ really _ going on between you two? Because you’re awfully confident about what he will and won’t do.”

 

Darcy chewed on her lower lip for a minute. “I’ve been visiting him,” she said after some deliberation. “For almost a year.”

 

“You  _ what _ ?” Jane hissed in disbelief. “You  _ visited _ him? In his cell? In Asgard?”

 

“Yes, I did,” Darcy snapped, suddenly tired of being second-guessed. “It was  _ my _ decision, and I don’t have to explain myself.”

 

“But  _ why _ would you visit  _ him _ ?” Jane demanded. “You know what he’s done! You  _ saw _ what he did!”

 

“Did you forget the part where I told you that Thanos tortured Loki and used a psychic bond to force Loki to follow his orders?” Darcy replied sharply. “Because everyone keeps forgetting that part. Loki’s not innocent, but he’s also not responsible for  _ everything _ .  _ And _ , for whatever reason, Loki happens to  _ like _ me, so he’s probably not going to threaten us.”

 

Jane leaned away from Darcy, her brow furrowed. “You’re defending him?” she asked, incredulous.

 

Darcy squeezed her forehead. “No, I’m not… Look, I don’t trust him, but I  _ know _ him. He’s wounded, he needs our help, he’ll behave for now, okay?”

 

Jane glanced out the nearest window. “Well, Thor should be back soon, so…” she trailed off and Darcy sighed. Neither of them actually knew  _ when _ or  _ if _ Thor was going to come back. Darcy supposed she could always go to Asgard to find out, but Frigga had warned her to stay away from Asgard for the time being.

 

There was a thump and a crash from the living room, and Darcy and Jane both ran from the kitchen, Darcy summoning her staves on instinct. Loki was on the floor, having dragged himself away from the couch to press his back against the wall. The coffee table was tipped over and the bedsheet was crumpled at the foot of the couch. Eydis stood on the opposite side of the room as Loki, frowning down at the Asgardian with her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

 

“Who the hell are you?” Jane demanded, her eyes wide. 

 

Darcy dismissed her staves and put her hand on Jane’s arm. “Her name is Eydis,” Darcy said. “She’s Skaði’s girlfriend.”

 

“How did she get in here?” Jane asked, looking from Darcy to Eydis and back.

 

“The door was unlocked,” Eydis said, turning and gesturing towards the front door. “My lady sent me to make sure you were well, and safe. I did not expect to see the disgraced prince here.”

 

“You could have at least knocked,” Loki said sarcastically, pressing a hand to the bandage on his chest. It was now spotted red.

 

“Son of a bitch,” Darcy muttered. “I swear, if you’ve pulled a stitch…”

 

“It was not my fault,” Loki protested as Darcy knelt beside him. “Your sister’s lagsmaðr should not have crept up on me.”

 

Eydis sketched a slight bow. “My apologies, your highness.”

 

“I’m not a prince anymore, as you well know,” Loki snapped at her. “You need not mock me.”

 

“I do not mock,” Eydis said with a frown.

 

Darcy peeled the gauze away from Loki’s wound and was relieved to find that none of the stitches had been pulled. “Jane, get me the basket,” she ordered. Jane obediently fetched the basket and brought it over. Darcy applied more of the clotting powder and taped down fresh gauze.

 

“Eydis, make yourself useful and help me get him back to the couch,” Darcy said. Eydis crossed over to them, gently moved Darcy to the side, and easily lifted Loki to his feet and maneuvered him back onto the couch. His expression soured as he let himself be aided, but he did not say anything.

 

“You can tell Skaði that we’re fine,” Darcy told Eydis.

 

The lagsmaðr eyed Loki distrustfully while the Asgardian did the same to her. “I… think perhaps I should stay,” Eydis said eventually. “To be sure.”

 

Jane threw her hands up. “Yeah. Everyone can stay. It’s Grand Central Station in here. Darcy, you deal with this. I’m going to take a shower.” She turned on her heels and marched up the stairs, still muttering under her breath.

 

Darcy sank onto the other couch and buried her head in her hands with a long, drawn-out groan. She lifted her head again to look at Eydis. “You wouldn’t happen to know what’s going on in Asgard, would you?”

 

“I know that Lady Skuld has gone to speak with the Allfather,” Eydis replied. “Beyond that, I do not know.”

 

Darcy scratched the back of her head. “Well, fingers crossed I won’t get Thor charged with treason,” she muttered.

 

“Thor made his choice,” Loki said with a shallow breath. “You are not responsible for his actions.”

 

“Well, it was my idea to break you out of your cell,” Darcy pointed out. “That counts as treason, I’m pretty sure.”

 

Loki grimaced and glared at Eydis again. He didn’t have a reply for her. Darcy slouched down on the couch and waved toward the kitchen. “Eydis, make yourself at home. Get something to drink, or eat. Anything.”

 

Eydis inclined her head and went into the kitchen. Darcy listened to her move around, opening cupboards and the fridge. Once she figured the other woman was sufficiently distracted, Darcy turned back to Loki.

 

“So, what are your long-term plans?” she asked him. “I mean, what do you think you’ll do after this?”

 

“I had not thought on it,” Loki said, trying and failing to sound casual. Darcy didn’t believe him.

 

“You know Thor is going to come back here, right?” Darcy pointed out.

 

“After he defied the Allfather, I doubt Odin will let Thor go anywhere for a good deal of time,” Loki replied dryly, shifting restlessly. “Or perhaps he will strip Thor of his power and cast him to Midgard again. One never knows.”

 

“I’m serious, Loki,” Darcy said. “If Thor comes back and he finds out you’re alive, he  _ will _ tell Odin.”

 

He looked at her, a furrow between his jade-green eyes. “Are you suggesting I leave at once?” he asked. He grimaced. “As you can see, I can barely walk. But if you desire it, I will leave.”

 

“No, I’m not saying that,” Darcy snapped impatiently. “I’m just asking, where would you go? I mean… You’re out of your cell and everything. What are you going to do?”

 

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You want to know if I will be a danger to you and your friends,” he said.

 

“I want to know if you’re going to be a danger to  _ you _ ,” Darcy told him impatiently. “One way or the other, Odin is going to find out you’re alive, and when he does, he won’t stop hunting for you. You will literally have to run to the ends of the galaxy to get away from him.”

 

Loki stared at her wordlessly for a long moment. “You have an alternitive?” he asked quietly. “What other choice do I have?”

 

Darcy swallowed, suddenly nervous. She leaned forward, rubbing her hands together. The idea had been forming for a while now, but she’d only just admitted to herself that it was a viable option when she found Loki standing on their doorstep.

 

“You could stay,” she offered.

 

He frowned. “You just clearly pointed out why I cannot stay,” he said.

 

“You could stay,” Darcy said again. “As my lagsmaðr.”

 

Loki clearly hadn’t expected her to say that. His eyes widened, eyebrows arching upwards. “I thought you made your feelings on that matter quite clear,” he said stiffly, after several moments.

 

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m not proposing to you or anything. Lagsmaðr can be non-romantic, but you probably already know that.”

 

“It’s not unheard of,” Loki admitted. He picked at the bedsheet covering him. “You trust me enough to have as your protector?”

 

“No, I don’t trust you,” Darcy replied bluntly. She straightened. “I’m giving you a chance to earn my trust, though.”

 

Loki scowled. “What makes you think I  _ want _ your trust?” he asked sourly.

 

Darcy waved her finger at him. “You know this surly, glowery act, it doesn’t help you, right? You’re just playing into everyone’s expectations of you. People see you as a villain, so that’s how you act. Well, here’s your chance to tell everyone ‘fuck you’ and prove them wrong.”

 

He continued to stare at her for a moment, and then he laughed. It was weak, soundless, and quickly choked off with a pained grimace, but it was the first time she’d heard him laugh in the entire time she had known him.

 

“You are  _ devious _ ,” he said, and there was a hint of admiration in his voice. “Of course. As your lagsmaðr I would be protected from Odin’s ire, and you would be able to keep an eye over me, preventing me from wreaking havoc in my wake.”

 

“Look, whatever the reasons are, it has to be your choice,” Darcy said firmly, rubbing her hands together again. Her palms were sweating. “If you say no, that’s fine. You walk away, and we never see each other again. I won’t tell Odin or anyone else where you are or where you went. But if you want to stay, if you don’t want to be hunted…” she trailed off.

 

Dammit, why was she so  _ nervous _ ? She felt like she was back in highschool, waiting under the bleachers to ask the captain of the cheerleaders to the dance.

 

Loki rested his head back against the arm of the couch and grinned at the ceiling. “Was this your plan all along?” he asked. “To maneuver me into your grasp? Prevent me from taking my revenge against your precious Avengers?”

 

“You don’t want revenge,” Darcy retorted. “You want recognition. You want to be seen, to be respected, or feared. Whichever you can get. As a lagsmaðr you’ll have the respect and authority of the norns, of everyone who serves the norns. And you can pretty much tell Odin he can suck it right to his face.”

 

Loki rolled his head to look at her again, a smile still hovering around his mouth. “For that alone, it is almost worth it,” he said, but then his smile faded. “I would be bound to your service,” he continued in a flat voice. “I would be sworn to obey your every command.”

 

“No,” Darcy bit out. “I would  _ never _ force you to do anything against your will.” She paused, her breath coming heavy. Loki gave her a strange look at her fierceness. “I know what was done to you,” she said in a softer tone. “I would never, ever do anything like that.”

 

“Do you give your word?” Loki asked, suddenly dead-serious. “Would you swear to never give me a command that subverts my will?”

 

Darcy hesitated for a long moment. Then she said, “Yes. I would swear.”

 

Loki struggled to sit up, and Darcy jumped forward to help him, easing him into an upright position. He grabbed hold of her left forearm with his left hand, and met her gaze unflinchingly.

 

“My people are your people,” he said, using the First Tongue. “Your enemies are my enemies. Your oaths are my oaths. I will be your sword, your spear, and your shield, until the day of my death, or yours. My bond is my word.”

 

Darcy’s skin suddenly burned under his hand, and she gasped, trying to pull away, but Loki did not loosen his grasp until the burning had stopped. He let go of her arm and she yanked away. She looked down at his forearm.

 

Where once had been pale, empty skin was now ringed with black runes like tattoos, circling all the way around his arm. Darcy recognized them immediately, knew they were the markings of a bondsman, declaring his loyalty to her.

 

Darcy shoved the sleeve of her shirt up. A ring of matching runes circled her own forearm, declaring her loyalty and oath to him. “Holy shit,” she said, breathlessly.

 

Loki raised an eyebrow. “Did you not know about the oath?” he asked.

 

“I did, I just… forgot,” Darcy said, tracing the markings with her fingertip. The skin was sore, like after a tattoo, but not irritated or bloody. “Shit. I’m gonna have to explain this to my mother.”

 

Loki blinked at her, compltely non-plussed. “Your… mother,” he echoed.

 

She pulled her sleeve down. “Yes, my mother,” she snapped. “I was  _ born _ into this vessel. I have parents, and brothers.” She slapped her hand to her forehead. “Shit. I’m gonna have to explain this to  _ Steve _ . And Clint and Natasha.  _ Fuck _ . SHIELD is gonna find out.” She started to pace.

 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she muttered to herself.

 

“Darcy,” Loki said softly. She stopped in midstep and turned to stare at him. He held up his arm, showing her the markings. “I am bound to you, now. If SHIELD moves against you, if they threaten you, I will burn them to the ground.”

 

He said it with such a flat, matter-of-fact voice that just made the threat worse. “No,” Darcy said. “There will be no burning. I will leave Earth before I let that happen.”

 

Loki shrugged. “As you will, then.” He sighed and leaned his head back against the sofa. “Now, with your permission,  _ my lady _ , I think I will sleep.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Darcy said. “Go ahead. Just...yell, if you need anything.” Darcy left him in the living room and  headed into the kitchen, her heart pounding. She found Eydis in the middle of preparing a meal, ingredients scattered over the counter and pots on every burner of the stove.

 

Darcy looked around with her mouth hanging open. “Uh, I said make yourself at home, not make us dinner,” she said weakly.

 

Eydis shrugged and continued chopping a green pepper. “You gave me permission to do what I willed,” she replied. 

 

“I didn’t realize you cooked,” Darcy said with a sigh, leaning against the counter. Eydis gave her a pitying look.

 

“You clearly have no memory of Skaði’s skills,” she said. “Or lack thereof. You were the accomplished cook,  _ not _ my lady.”

 

Darcy rubbed the side of her nose. “Huh. Okay. Well, knock yourself out. I’m gonna… just go an have a quiet freak-out.”

 

“This is the first lagsmaðr you have taken since you you came to Midgard, is it not?” Eydis asked, scrapping the pepper into one of the saucepans and stirring whatever was inside.

 

“Yeah,” Darcy replied, slouching.

 

“It is an… enlightening experience,” Eydis commented. “For both parties. But it is a worthy burden. You will be glad of it sooner than you think.”

 

“I just hope I didn’t make the wrong choice,” Darcy said softly, glancing back at the living room.

 

“You are a norn, Lady Sigyn,” Eydis said with more confidence than Darcy felt. “Your instincts chose Loki to be your lagsmaðr. And your instincts will always guide you true.”

 

“Yeah, I hope so,” Darcy muttered, and pushed away from the counter. “Anyway, if you need anything, I’ll be upstairs. Just holler.”

 

“Of course, Lady Sigyn.”

 

“Oh, and call me Darcy.”

 

“As you wish, Lady Darcy.”

  
“No, just… You know what? Never mind.”


	23. Done My Time And Served My Sentence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *squints at the last two chapters* *sees all the spelling errors* This is why you don't proof-read while sleep deprived. Oh, well. This story is not beta read, which means it's not perfect.
> 
> I sleep during the day because I work nights, which means I usually wake up to all y'all's comments on my story, and it's the best thing to wake up to! I'm so happy everyone is liking the story. We've got a long ways to go before the end, and it's gonna get good!
> 
> Enjoy!

Darcy lay flat on her back on her bed, staring at the ceiling as she listened to the water run in the bathroom. She wasn’t sure if she had already had her freak-out, or if she hadn’t started yet. Her mind raced and she was exhausted and restless at the same time.

 

Everything had changed. There was no hiding what she was now. With Loki now permanently attached to her, there would be questions raised that could only be answered with the truth. She wouldn’t be able to work with SHIELD anymore, that was for sure. She couldn’t think of any way they would allow Loki to walk around free. She would have to do everything she could to prevent SHIELD from finding out Loki was on Earth.

 

Steve, Clint, and Natasha would want to know why she was quitting SHIELD, and once Steve found out it was because of Loki, there was no way he wasn’t going to tell Clint and Natasha. Darcy pressed her fingers against her eyes. She really hoped she hadn’t lost three friends because of her decision.

 

Part of her was still screaming in disbelief at what she’d done. But part of her was whispering she had done the right thing. The markings on her arm itched fiercely. She rubbed at them morosely. It would take some maneuvering to hide all of this from her parents. She thought about that for a moment. Maybe it was time to tell them the truth…

 

Yeah, and tell them she’d just permanently bonded herself to a megalomaniacal alien mass-murderer. Because  _ that _ would go well. Darcy draped her arm over her eyes and sighed deeply. If ever Loki was going to change, she had just given him his best chance. She had no idea if he would actually take it. She hoped so. Nothing she had seen over the past year had made her believe Loki was  _ evil _ . Just extremely confused. And broken. And prideful. And maybe a little mentally ill.

 

Loki in therapy. Now  _ there _ was a thought.

 

She rolled over onto her side to stare out the window. The light was already starting to fade. Winter days in England were ridiculously short. The smell of food wafted up from the kitchen below but Darcy found she wasn’t all that hungry. She had a bone-deep weariness she hadn’t had earlier, but her mind was too busy to let her relax.

 

Jane shut the water off in the bathroom. Maybe Darcy should take a bath. That could take her mind off things. Too bad she didn’t have a bathtub like the ones in Asgard. Darcy rubbed her eyes again. She wondered how Skuld’s negotiations with Odin were going, and if Thor was ever actually going to come back. Jane would be devastated. Then again, if Thor couldn’t come  _ here _ , they could always send Jane  _ there. _

 

Darcy growled with frustration and crawled off her bed, shuffling over to the stairs. She pattered down into the second story living room and was standing over the couch where Loki lay before she realized where she was going.

 

He was deep asleep, the bedsheet pulled up to his shoulders. His eyes darted back and forth beneath his lids, and his breathing was shallow, ragged. Every so often he would tense, muscles clenching reflexively. He was dreaming, Darcy realized. He used Frigga’s elixir as often as she did, if not more, and she had failed to offer it to him this time.

 

She wondered what nightmares he saw, what was it that disturbed his sleep. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and touched his forehead. She saw a flash of burning flames, felt heat sear her skin, and heard Thanos’ laughter echoing in her ears before she yanked her hand back, heart hammering in her ears.

 

“The bond is strong at first,” Eydis said quietly from the doorway to the kitchen.

 

Darcy jerked around to face the other woman. “What?” she asked breathlessly.

 

“The lagsmaðr bond,” Eydis elaborated. “When it is first formed, it is very strong. You will feel each other deeply. You will learn to control it, in time.”

 

“What do you mean, ‘feel each other’?” Darcy asked. Eydis beckoned for Darcy to join her and turned back into the kitchen. With one last look at Loki, Darcy followed.

 

Eydis had found containers to store the food she had made and was in the process of fitting it all into the fridge and icebox. She stopped long enough to fill the kettle with water and place it on the stove. “It is not just a bond of word, you know,” she told Darcy. “It is a bond of seidr, of magic. It binds the mind, the body, and the soul alike.”

 

“Wait, do you mean like some kind of Vulcan mind meld?” Darcy demanded, dropping into one of the kitchen chairs.

 

Eydis frowned as she pulled a box of tea bags from the cupboard. “I do not know of this mind meld, but the lagsmaðr bond is not a sacrifice of one’s self. You do not lose who you are. You are just made something more. You have an awareness of your partner. Their thoughts, their emotions. There is an understanding.”

 

Eydis put two mugs on the counter and placed a tea bag in each just as the kettle started to whistle. She poured the boiling water into each mug and carried them over to the table. “You may find yourself thinking and behaving more like Loki, and he like you.”

 

“Great, because that’s just what I need,” Darcy said sarcastically. “To start plotting mass genocide and how to take over the world.”

 

“You accuse him of these crimes yet you claim he was coerced,” Eydis said mildly, sipping her tea despite it’s still-scalding temperature. “I think you need to decide which one is true.”

 

“He tried to destroy Jotunheim,” Darcy said stubbornly. “Nobody coerced him into that.”

 

Eydis raised an eyebrow. “And if you found out you were a member of a race you had been taught your whole life to hate, how would  _ you _ react?” she challenged softly. 

 

Darcy opened her mouth to speak, stopped for a second, and closed her mouth, her expression caught between confusion and surprise.

 

“I am not saying it was a  _ healthy _ reaction,” Eydis admitted. “Do you think Loki is truly evil, Lady Darcy?”

 

“...No,” Darcy said slowly. “I think he made poor choices,” she added after a minute. She blew on her tea to cool it and took a sip. “I definitely think he’s got issues,” she went on. “PTSD, maybe. Probably some kind of personality disorder.”

 

“Then this bond may help him,” Eydis told her. “As I said, he will become more like you. You will provide him stability.”

 

“And what will he provide me?” Darcy asked dryly.

 

“What you seek, I think,” Eydis said. She raised an eyebrow again. “Adventure.”

 

“I do not--” Darcy had to cut herself off. “Okay, maybe a little,” she admitted.

 

“You will never come into your full power if you doubt yourself,” Eydis said.

 

Darcy shook her head. “How do you know so much about this? I swear you’ve been, like, the most helpful person so far.”

 

Eydis dipped her head with a smile. “I have been bonded to a norn for over four hundred years, Lady Darcy. I have a… unique perspective.”

 

“Are you happy?” Darcy asked. “Are you happier now, than you were before?”

 

Eydis’ smile grew. “I am infinitely more happy now than I ever was before. I love Skaði with all my heart. She… completes me.”

 

Darcy rubbed the side of her nose. “While I’m happy for you guys--I really am--are there any other norns who have, uh,  _ platonic _ lagsmaðr?”

 

“Ingrit does,” Eydis replied, taking a sip from her mug. “She has three, none of them romantic. She has never taken a romantic partner. She has never desired one.” She thought for a moment. “Embla’s current lagsmaðr is non-romantic. He was already an old man when Embla bonded him. She valued his wisdom, and his gift of poetry.”

 

“Okay,” Darcy said, relieved. If others of her sisters had done it, then she was sure she could handle it, too.

 

“If you change your mind, though, Loki would make an excellent partner,” Eydis said casually. “He would breed strength and immortality into your bloodline.”

 

Darcy blinked a couple of times at Eydis. “Uh, yeah, no. There will be no breeding and there is no bloodline.”

 

Eydis shrugged. “The norns have always cherished bearing children,” she said. “There are more than one line of kings that can trace their lineage to the Sisterhood, Asgard notwithstanding.”

 

Darcy’s eyes widened. “Are you saying  _ Odin _ …” Darcy trailed off. “Oh, my god.  _ Wyrd _ . And Odin’s dad.  _ No _ . You’re  _ lying _ .”

 

Eydis grinned cheekily and sipped her tea. Darcy balled up a paper napkin and lobbed it at Eydis, who dodged it nimbly.

 

“Say it isn’t true!” Darcy demanded. “Tell me Odin isn’t my damn  _ nephew _ !”

 

“In case you were worried, there is no problem with inbreeding,” Eydis informed her, still grinning mischievously. “Seeing as how Loki is adopted, and the norns are not actually blood-related.”

 

“I don’t believe you!” Darcy said, narrowing her eyes. “I  _ don’t _ . And what do you mean, we’re not blood related? Didn’t Skuld…” Darcy trailed off, because she didn’t remember exactly how Skuld had made the norns.

 

“They once were,” Eydis replied, moving easily with the change in subject. “Once all the norns were created from the same flesh. But that was in a time forgotten, and all of them have taken new vessels by now, some of them more than once.”

 

“So that’s why Skuld looks younger than Wyrd, even though she’s older,” Darcy said. “And Urd, who’s not much younger than Wyrd, looks like she’s my age.”

 

“Yes,” Eydis replied. “Embla is the youngest of all the norns. This is only her second vessel.”

 

Darcy counted on her fingers. “Okay, I’ve met five of the norns. Counting me, that’s six. There’s nine of us. Who are the others?”

 

“Freya, Helke, and Ingrit,” Eydis told her. “And all of them younger than you.”

 

“Where are they?” Darcy asked.

 

“Ingrit lives on Vanaheim. Freya and Helke reside on Rhia. Freya’s vessel is very old, and she does not travel, even to dreamwalk. Helke remains with her to care for her. As for Ingrit… she was always a strange one, even for a norn. She prefers the company of her lagsmaðrs, and little else.”

 

“You know, I think you’re breaking the rule where I’m supposed to figure out all of this stuff by myself,” Darcy said with a wry smile.

 

Eydis smiled back. “I am not a norn,” she pointed out. “I have no such rules.”

 

Darcy waved a finger in her direction. “I like you.” Eydis toasted Darcy with her mug.

 

Jane clattered noisily down the stairs and paused in the living room before coming into the kitchen. She looked around. “I smelled food,” she announced.

 

“Help yourself,” Darcy said, gesturing at the food still waiting to be fitted into the already-stuffed fridge. “Apparently Eydis cooks for a crowd.”

 

“You did all this?” Jane asked, looking around the kitchen again.

 

“Lady Darcy  _ did _ tell me to make myself at home,” Eydis said. “I hope I did not overstep my bounds.”

 

“No, no, it’s fine,” Jane said. “It’s just… it’s been, like, an hour.”

 

Eydis shrugged. “When one’s life is unpredictable, one tends to learn to adapt to strange time requirements.”

 

“I’ve changed my mind,” Jane said. “She can stay.”

 

“It’s about time someone else did the cooking,” Darcy said, rolling her eyes.

 

“I can cook,” Jane protested, filling a plate with what looked like oven-baked lamb roast smothered in mushroom gravy and potatoes.

 

“Yes, you can,” Darcy agreed. “Until you forget something’s in the oven and you almost burn the apartment down.”

 

“That happened once,” Jane said. “...Maybe twice.”

 

“My lady has the same problem,” Eydis commented. “She cooks like a master artisan, if she could only keep her mind on one thing for long enough.”

 

“So the cooking talent runs in the family, huh?” Jane said, putting her food in the microwave.

 

“Some skills are gained or lost with a new vessel,” Eydis said with a shrug. “Some remain.”

 

“Vessel?” Jane echoed. “That’s what you were talking about, right, Darcy? Your memories and powers are reincarnated into a new body when the old one dies?”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said. “The norns are eternal. Their vessels are not.”

 

“What about when you die?” Jane asked. “Are you going to be reincarnated into another human, or…”

 

Darcy looked at Eydis with raised eyebrows. The lagsmaðr shrugged again. “It depends on where you die,” Eydis said. “A new vessel is generally chosen from the population of the realm whereupon you die.”

 

“So that means we can choose, right?” Darcy asked. “You said Freya is on Rhia, right? So when Freya’s current vessel dies, she’ll be reborn in someone from Rhia?”

 

Eydis nodded. “Yes. Freya has always been fond of that world. She desires a childhood there.”

 

Darcy tapped her lips. “This opens so many new possibilities,” she said.

 

“We need to figure out a way to start studying your powers,” Jane said, sitting down at the table next to Darcy. “Maybe we can hook you up to an EKG next time you dreamwalk. Or I could build some kind of recording device for you to carry with you. And when you say you can stop time, do you mean  _ stop _ , or does everything just sort of slow down?”

 

“Oy vey,” Darcy sighed, and dropped her head onto her arm. Jane poked her shoulder.

 

“I’m  _ serious _ , Darcy. We could be talking about a whole new understanding of the laws of physics!”

 

Darcy’s only response was a loud, drawn-out groan. Then her head snapped up, her entire awareness focused on the living room. Jane startled at her sudden movement but Eydis did not seem concerned. Darcy got to her feet, ignoring Jane’s questions, and padded silently across the kitchen.

 

Loki was thrashing on the couch with tiny, restrained movements, twitching back and forth as he tried to escape whatever nightmare he was trapped in. Darcy immediately crossed over to his side and leaned over him, tucking her loose hair behind one ear as she put her hand on his shoulder.

 

“Hey, Loki,” she called softly. “Loki!” she repeated louder when she got no response. She shook his shoulder lightly. “ _ Loki _ .”

 

He came awake with a snarl twisting his features, his hand coming up to close around Darcy’s throat. He lunged forward from the couch, knocking her to the floor with him on top of her, his knees straddling her legs. Darcy grabbed the wrist of the hand squeezing her windpipe and drove her knee into his ribcage as hard as she could.

 

The unexpectedness of the move and his injury played in her favor, because he wavered, loosening his grip enough for her to tear it away from her throat. She swung her leg forward, hooked it over the arm she was holding onto, and twisted. Loki fell forward onto his face, his arm and shoulder now trapped between Darcy’s legs.

 

“ _ Loki _ !” she said again, her voice sharp.

 

He went slack in her grip, the tension bleeding from his body. “Darcy,” he said weakly. “I--I am sorry. I did not see you.”

 

Darcy let go of him and skittered backwards. “Are you okay?” she asked warily. He remained where he was for a long moment, flat on his stomach with one arm outstretched.

 

“I… may have pulled a stitch loose,” he said tightly.

 

“God _ dammit _ ,” Darcy sighed, and moved forward to help him sit up. She leaned him against the couch and peeled the gauze away from his wound. He stared woodenly over the top of her bowed head, his arms limp at his sides.

 

He had torn two of the stitches free and the wound was bleeding freely again. “Loki,” Darcy said, annoyed. Then she inhaled slowly through her nose. “No. You know what, it was my fault. I should have given you that no-dreams elixir.”

 

“You could not have known,” Loki said tonelessly, and clenched his right hand into a fist.

 

“Is everything okay?” Jane asked. Darcy looked up. Her friend was standing in the kitchen doorway, a dinner knife held like a weapon.

 

“We’re fine,” Darcy assured her. “I just startled Loki when he woke up.” She sat back on her heels and stared at the wound in Loki’s chest for a couple of seconds, before retrieving the basket. “I’m not going to try to re-stitch it,” she told him. “The edges are too messy, I don’t think I can do it. I’m just gonna pack it with the clotting powder and hope for the best.”

 

He nodded, still not looking at her. Darcy wiped away the fresh blood and applied the clotting powder until the bleeding slowed. She taped fresh gauze down and helped Loki back onto the couch. “Please try not to pop the rest of the stitches, okay?” she said, handing him another painkiller and an antibiotic.

 

He took both wordlessly and swallowed them dry. Darcy watched him for a moment. When his thousand-yard-stare didn’t waver, she snapped her fingers in front of his nose, forcing him to blink and look at her reflexively.

 

“Hey,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

 

“I… attacked you,” he said at length, as if the words were dragged out of him unwillingly.

 

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Please. That was my fault. I shouldn’t have tried to wake you up.”

 

“My first instinct was to attack you,” Loki repeated.

 

“Your first instinct was to  _ defend yourself _ ,” Darcy corrected him. “Which you have good reason to. I’m not mad, Loki. It’s fine.”

 

He clenched and unclenched his jaw a couple of times, and then looked up at her again. “You have had more training,” he observed.

 

“Little bit, yeah,” she replied. He nodded jerkily. When he didn’t say anything else, she leaned down to get on his eye level. “You hungry? Eydis cooked.”

 

He looked away from her deliberately. “...Yes,” he finally said.

 

“Awesome,” Darcy replied, straightening. She headed back to the kitchen.

 

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” Jane whispered as Darcy passed her. “I heard you yelling.”

 

“It’s fine,” Darcy said dismissively. “It was just a misunderstanding.”

 

Eydis was ladling soup into a bowl, steam rising from the liquid. She found a spoon and handed both to Darcy. Darcy took both items, looking nonplussed for a moment. “It’s scary how you can do that,” she told Eydis.

 

“When you live with a norn for as long as I have, you develop your own kind of prescience,” Eydis replied. She took a clotch napkin and folded it over Darcy’s arm and smiled. Darcy walked back to the living room and placed the bowl of soup in Loki’s hands.

 

Downstairs, on the first floor, there was a brisk knock on the door before it was flung open. “Eydis! Sigyn!” Darcy heard Skaði call, before footsteps pounded up the stairs. Skaði appeared in the living room and made straight for Eydis.

 

The lagsmaðr brightened at the sight of her partner and held out her arms. Skaði embraced Eydis warmly, pressing a brief kiss to her lips. “Have you made yourself useful?” Skaði asked with a laugh.

 

“More than you did,” Eydis replied fondly.

 

Skaði pulled away from her partner and crossed over to hug Darcy quickly. She turned to look at Loki, who clutched his bowl of soup, staring up at Skaði with startled eyes. Skaði’s eyes dropped to the markings on his forearm. “Well, now,” she said. “How… interesting.”

 

Darcy squeezed her twin around her waist. “Please tell me you have some news of Asgard,” she said, to distract Skaði from saying anything in front of Jane.

 

“Oh, yes!” Skaði exclaimed. “That is why I came! Skuld has managed to convince Odin not to ban you from Asgard!”

 

“Thank god,” Darcy murmured.

 

“What about Thor?” Jane demanded, stepping forward. “Did you hear anything about Thor?”

 

Skaði shook her head. “No, I am sorry. Skuld did not say anything of Thor.”

 

Jane sighed and her shoulders drooped. She turned and headed back up the stairs. As soon as she was gone, Skaði turned to look at Darcy again. “So, it seems as if congratulations are in order,” she said with a knowing smile. “I see you were  _ very _ happy to find Loki alive, after all.”

 

“What? No! No, it’s not like that,” Darcy said quickly. Loki dug his spoon into his bowl with a sardonic expression, and said nothing to help Darcy. “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement,” Darcy insisted. “It’s not--we’re not--”

 

“Yes, I think she gets the point, Darcy,” Loki said dryly when Darcy continued to stutter.

 

“Yes, I do,” Skaði said, sounding disappointed. “Well, still, a bonding is a happy time. I am sure the two of you will be happy together.”

 

Darcy coughed awkwardly and looked away. Loki merely continued to eat, not bothered in the slightest.

 

“Aaaand moving on,” Darcy said, releasing her hold on her twin sister’s waist. “Did you come all the way here just to tell me I’m not banished from Asgard?”

 

“And to pick up Eydis,” Skaði replied.

 

“I can make my own way home,” Eydis said chidingly.

 

“But it is more pleasant to walk together,” Skaði said.

 

“Where do you actually live?” Darcy asked with a frown.

 

“We have a home on Nornheim,” Skaði told her. 

 

Darcy blinked in surprise. “There’s a realm named after us?” she asked blankly.

 

“That was where we used to live, all nine of us, when we were young, and Skuld was still teaching us,” Skaði explained.

 

“You know, you guys keep telling me that I’m gonna start remember this stuff but it feels like I never will,” Darcy complained.

 

Skaði patted her arm with a sympathetic smile. “In time, Sigyn. In time. Are you going to be all right here on your own?”

 

Darcy waved. “Yeah, we’ll be fine. I’ll see you around?”

 

“Yes, and soon,” Skaði said, hugging Darcy once more. Once she and Eydis were gone, Darcy plopped into one of the chairs opposite Loki. He continued eating calmly, unperturbed at her agitated state.

 

“So I’ve realized I’m fucked,” she announced when he clearly wasn’t going to start a conversation.

 

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” he invited.

 

Darcy pointed at him. “Yes. You have fucked me over.”

 

“Pray tell,” he said sarcastically.

 

“I’m gonna have to quit SHIELD, I’m gonna have to tell my parents about who I really am, and I’m probably gonna have to leave Earth,” Darcy listed before slumping in the chair and lacing her fingers over her stomach. “And it’s your fault.”

 

“I need not remind you it was  _ your _ idea to take me as your lagsmaðr,” Loki pointed out, not bothered by her accusations.

 

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Darcy muttered. “I wasn’t thinking about the consequences.”

 

“That seems to be a failing of yours,” Loki commented.

 

“Hey!” Darcy said, glaring at him. He shrugged uncaringly and continued eating. For someone who hadn’t eaten in five days, he was remarkably sedate about it. Maybe having a sword run through your chest took away your appetite. Darcy wouldn’t know. After all, the last time she’d had a sword through her chest, she’d  _ died _ . How unfair, that he’d survived and she hadn’t…

 

“I am  _ not _ taking you to meet my mother,” she declared out loud.

 

He looked up, his expression genuinely horrified. “I should think not,” he said, his nose wrinkling.

 

“You know, she always wanted me to settle down, get married. How am I supposed to tell her I entered a marriage of convenience with an alien?”

 

“Preferably without telling her at all,” Loki replied. “And I am not an  _ alien _ . That word is subjective. To me,  _ you _ are an alien. Kindly refrain from using it in the future.”

 

“Yes,  _ sir _ ,” Darcy said, giving him a mock salute with two fingers.

 

Loki eyed her for a moment. “You really are a frustrating creature, did you know that?”

 

“I do my best,” Darcy said, waving one hand. “But in all seriousness, what the hell are we supposed to do now? If SHIELD finds out you’re back on Earth, they are going to lose their shiznits. And probably try to lock you up again.”

 

“There is no reason that we  _ must _ remain on Midgard,” Loki pointed out. “Any of the Nine Realms are open to us. You have only to chose one.”

 

Darcy tapped her lips. The last time she’d received an offer like this one, she’d been dead certain that Jane would die if she left Earth. Now the danger to Jane was gone, and… “Jane could come, too,” she said out loud, mostly to herself. “She’d probably love that, science nerd that she is.”

 

Loki sighed through his teeth. “Yes, if you want to bring your pet mortal, she could come, too,” he said in a long suffering voice.

 

Darcy glared at him again. “Hey, watch who you’re calling a pet. She’s my friend.”

 

“She offers you no service in return,” Loki told her. “She is literally of no use.”

 

“She is my  _ friend _ ,” Darcy emphasized. “That’s use enough. Keep talking like that and we’ll see if I don’t kick your ass even if you  _ are _ wounded.”

 

Loki bared his teeth at her. “You will  _ try _ ,” he replied.

 

Darcy smirked at him. “Already did, remember?”

 

He sneered. “That was luck.”

 

“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that, loser.” Darcy blinked and looked at Loki again. “Crap. We’re gonna need to get you clothes.”

 

Loki looked down at the bedsheet he was now sitting on. He was still barefoot, clad only in his trousers. “I am fully capable of taking care of that myself, thank you,” he said stiffly.

 

Darcy shrugged. “Whatever, dude.” She sighed heavily again. “Fuck.”

 

He frowned at her. “What is it?”

 

“I still haven’t applied for graduation from Culver,” Darcy said sullenly. “And now all I can think is I went through all the trouble to get a degree, and I may not even be able to use the fucking thing, because I’m gonna leave the whole fucking  _ planet _ . Just great.”

 

“Hmm,” Loki hummed. “I would not put much stock in mortal education. When you recover your memories of your past life, that will be all the instruction you need.”

 

Darcy resisted the urge to throw something at him. “You’re a snob. Did anyone ever tell you that?”

 

“Well, I have good reason to be,” he said loftily.

 

She narrowed her eyes at him, unsure if he was serious or not. He went back to eating, and Darcy left him in silence until he set the empty bowl aside. “Loki?” He looked up at her inquiringly. “Why did you say yes?”

 

He tilted his head at her, and considered his words for a long time. He looked down at his hands, clenched and opened them, turned them over. He looked back up at her again. “Honestly?” he asked.

 

She nodded. “That would be preferable.”

 

He smiled, just the faintest hint of a curve to his mouth. “No man wants to spend his life being hunted, not when he’s offered an alternative.” He inclined his head. “And I will not lie to say I was not tempted by the thought of seeing Odin’s face when he finds out I am beyond his authority.”

 

“He’s gonna be pissed,” Darcy agreed. She paused and licked her lips. “Hey, uh, do you know who Odin’s mother is?”

 

Loki gave her a puzzled look. “No,” he said after a long moment of staring at her. “He never spoke of her.”

 

Darcy groaned and slapped her hand over her eyes. “Please, please, please,  _ please _ don’t be Wyrd,” she whispered to herself. “ _ Please _ .”

 

The brownstone abruptly began to tremble in its foundations, multicolored light flashing through the window. Darcy shot upright, staring out the kitchen window. The Bifrost slammed into the back patio off the kitchen hard enough to shake the whole house. There was a loud thump from upstairs and Jane raced down into the living room, skidding on the wood floors as she made the turn into the kitchen.

 

When the Bifrost dissipated, Thor stood on the balcony, looking around with mild interest until Jane flung open the door and launched herself into his arms. Darcy looked away to give them a moment’s privacy and caught Loki’s eye.

 

“Here we go,” she said softly. He nodded gravely.

 

It took Jane and Thor a little while to make their way inside, but Darcy and Loki stayed seated, waiting for the two to come to them. Thor eventually entered the brownstone, one arm looped around Jane. 

 

“Darcy!” he boomed. “I have good news!”

 

“In here!” Darcy called, waving at him. Together, Thor and Jane entered the living room. Thor stopped dead when he caught sight of Loki sitting on the couch, scratching absently at the runes on his left arm. Loki looked up, his expression carefully innocent.

 

“Hello, Thor,” he said mildly.

  
Thor stared at his brother for several long moments, a myriad of emotions running over his face. Finally, he swallowed thickly. “Hello, Loki,” he rasped.


	24. All You Sinners Stand Up Sing Hallelujah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be finished last night, but I literally fell asleep in the middle of writing it. When I woke up several hours later, my laptop still in my lap, I decided to give up for the evening. Then, this morning when I finished it, I discovered that my internet was down and won't be back up for several hours. So I'm at Starbucks now so I can get this posted.
> 
> The internet at work is also down, last I heard, because SOMEONE (not me) downloaded a virus onto our city server, so every single city computer is at risk, and all city internet had to be shut down. Including ours at the police station. See, this is why we've been lobbying to get our own server for months. Blegh.

For a moment no one moved or said anything. Then Thor made an aborted motion towards Loki and stopped himself again. “You are wounded,” he said, sounding surprised.

 

“Yes, that tends to happen when you are stabbed through the chest with a sword,” Loki replied sarcastically. Thor knelt beside the couch, reaching over to place a heavy hand on Loki’s bare shoulder. Loki had to visibly restrain himself from knocking his hand away. 

 

“My brother, I am truly sorry,” Thor said gravely. “You were injured, and I left you for dead. Had I but known, I would not have left you.”

 

“Oh, get up,” Loki snapped. “You look ridiculous.”

 

Thor didn’t move. Instead, he squeezed Loki’s shoulder tighter. “I told our father about your sacrifice. When he hears you live, surely he will--”

 

“He will what,  _ brother _ ?” Loki snarled, finally giving in and pushing Thor’s hand away. “Have mercy? Forgive me? Or finally give me the fair trial I was denied?”

 

Thor leaned backwards, looking hurt. “Your deeds helped save all Nine Realms, Loki. Father cannot deny that.”

 

“My deeds were to fulfill a debt, nothing more,” Loki replied bitingly.

 

“Loki,” Darcy said warningly, from where she still slouched on her sofa. “Remember what I said about fulfilling expectations?”

 

He glared at her for a second and then smoothed his features. “It is irrelevant what your father does or does not do,” he told Thor in a civil tone, only the faintest of emphasis on the word “your.” 

 

Thor finally rose to his feet. “I am sorry, Loki. As happy as I am to see you alive, it is in my duty to inform the Allfather that you live.”

 

“You may also inform him I am beyond his authority,” Loki said, still in that carefully civil tone. “Or no, do not, so that I may tell him myself.” With that he held out his left arm for Thor’s inspection.

 

Thor stared at the runes for a long silent moment. “Is this true?” he asked Loki, but immediately turned to Darcy for confirmation. “He has truly given himself?”

 

Darcy wrinkled her nose, but yanked up the sleeve of her sweatshirt to show the matching runes. “Yup,” she said, popping the “p.”

 

For the second time Thor looked surprised and unsure, but then he smiled, unsteady but genuine. “Congratulations, both of you.” He looked down at Loki. “Mother would be pleased. This… this is good news, brother.”

 

Jane looked uncertainly between Darcy and Loki, her sharp eyes not missing the matching tattoos. “What’s going on?” she demanded. “What did I miss?”

 

“Darcy has taken Loki as her consort,” Thor told Jane.

 

“ _ What _ ?!” Jane yelped, at the same time Darcy exclaimed, “ _ No _ !”

 

“What do you mean  _ consort _ ?” Jane shrieked at Darcy.

 

“He’s not my consort!” Darcy protested.

 

Thor frowned in confusion. “You have the lagsmaðr bond,” he pointed out.

 

“That doesn’t mean he’s my  _ consort _ ,” Darcy sputtered, struggling back to an upright position.

 

“Darcy insists on our relationship being platonic,” Loki added unhelpfully, giving Darcy a sly look behind Jane and Thor’s back. Darcy grabbed the nearest pillow and lobbed it at him, but he easily batted it away.

 

“What the hell is a lagsmaðr bond?” Jane demanded, still glaring at Darcy.

 

“Well, the strict translation of the word is  _ companion _ ,” Darcy replied, crossing her arms defensively. “But they also serve as guardians and protectors.”

 

“You picked  _ Loki _ as your protector?” Jane asked in disbelief. “Why would you do that?”

 

“Because he deserves a second chance!” Darcy burst out. “And because this keeps him under our supervision.”

 

“But it’s  _ Loki _ ,” Jane protested.

 

“I know who it is,” Darcy snapped angrily. “I know what he’s done! And I’m tired of having my decisions second-guessed so  _ stop it _ !” She hadn’t intended to use the norn-voice but her command lashed out at Jane, stopping her words in her throat. Jane stood frozen in place, mouth opening and closing silently.

 

Darcy groaned and clenched her hands in her hair. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I’m sorry. I just… I know what I’m doing. Why doesn’t anyone think I know what I’m doing?”

 

“It’s not that, Darcy, it’s just…  _ Loki _ ,” Jane said softly.

 

Thor touched her arm. “I think it is a good idea,” he told Jane gently. She stared at him.

 

“You… do?” she asked, surprised.

 

“Loki will be an excellent lagsmaðr for Darcy,” Thor assured her. “And I will be here, so you need not worry.”

 

“You think I would break my bond so easily?” Loki spoke up, suddenly angry again. “You know me  _ so well _ , Thor! I may twist the truth to my liking but when have I  _ ever _ broken my word, once given?”

 

Thor hesitated, as if thinking, and then replied, “Never.”

 

“Then why do you think I would begin now?” Loki demanded venomously.

 

“Look, just stop!” Darcy said, getting to her feet. “It’s done, okay? It’s permanent. I couldn’t undo it now if I wanted to.”

 

“What, seriously?” Jane asked, her eyes widening.

 

“Yes,” Darcy said testily. “So can we stop arguing about it?”

 

Jane started chewing on her thumbnail. She half-turned to stare at Loki, who stared boldly back. “Okay,” she finally said. “What are we gonna do? What’s our next step? Because we can’t let SHIELD know about Loki being here. They’ll try to lock him up, and Darcy, too.”

 

“That’s why I’m quitting SHIELD,” Darcy said. “And we’re probably going to have to leave Earth,” she said reluctantly.

 

“Now just hold on,” Jane said, pulling her hand away from her mouth. “No one is saying that, yet. Leaving SHIELD, I get. That’s fine. We’ll find someone else to fund our work. After the Convergence, I don’t think that will be a problem. But there’s no reason you have to leave the planet.”

 

“Jane, you can’t quit SHIELD just because of me,” Darcy protested.

 

“I can do whatever the hell I want,” Jane retorted. “I’m not throwing you out in the cold just because you had a momentary lapse in judgement.”

 

“Whatever,” Darcy said, rolling her eyes, but she was secretly elated. Jane was not going to abandon her over Loki. That was good news. Maybe Steve, Clint, and Natasha wouldn’t, too.

 

“Those decisions can wait another day,” Thor told Jane. “For now let us simply be grateful for good news.”

 

“How this can qualify as good news, I have no idea,” Jane said, crossing her arms.

 

“Jane,” Darcy said warningly.

 

Jane threw up her hands. “Fine. Since clearly no one wants my opinion on this matter, you can all sit around and congratulate yourselves.” With that she stomped out of the room and down the stairs. Thor hesitated a moment, and then went after her.

 

Darcy crossed her arms and sighed. “That went… better than I expected, actually.”

 

Loki sniffed disdainfully. “Well, you didn’t think Thor was going to protest the bond, did you? He knows the true meaning of it.”

 

Darcy shook her head. “No, I was talking about  _ Jane _ , you dumbass.”

 

Loki raised his eyebrows. “Really. I thought we had gotten past the petty insults by now.”

 

“Forget it,” Darcy said with a shake of her head. “You should probably get some more sleep. I’ll get you the no-dream stuff.”

 

“That’s not… necessary,” Loki said, hesitating over the last word.

 

“I don’t need you trying to attack people when you wake up and pulling more stitches,” Darcy retorted. She picked up his empty soup bowl and put it in the sink to wash later. She retrieved the silver vial from her room and brought it back down. “Here,” she said, handing it to Loki. “You need it more than me, anyhow.”

 

He didn’t take it. “I have no desire to be in your debt again,” he said stiffly.

 

Darcy shook the vial at him. “You’re my lagsmaðr now. It’s my job to take care of you. There’s no debt. Just take it, Loki.”

 

He took it from her, clearly reluctant. “I do not need to be cared for,” he protested.

 

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you say that while you have a huge gaping hole in your chest. Real convincing.”

 

Loki tipped his head back so he could place a drop of the elixir on his tongue, and then tried to hand the vial back. Darcy shook her head. “Keep it,” she told him. “I’ve pretty much got a handle on my dreamwalking, now. Besides, I won’t have any more dreams of Jane dying. We’ve got past that, now.”

 

He closed his hand over the vial and didn’t meet her gaze for a long time. Then, as if the words were wrenched unwilling from his throat, he said, “Thank you.”

 

Darcy shrugged. “No prob. Get some sleep, okay? It’s been a rough week for you.”

 

Loki snorted and shook his head with a twisted smile. Darcy touched his shoulder lightly. “Seriously, though,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

 

He gave her a long, searching look. “It would seem,” he said after a moment. “That you are one of a very few.”

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy woke up slowly. She realized that she was not quite comfortable, as whatever she was lying on was hard and lumpy, and she was twisted into a rather uncomfortably position. This confused her, as she clearly remembered collapsing on her bed and almost instantly falling asleep.

 

She opened her eyes. She was in the living room, the one on the second floor, and Loki was sleeping on the couch opposite. Darcy sat up in alarm. How had she gotten from her bed to the extra couch? She didn’t remember coming down the stairs or anything.

 

The brownstone was silent except for the distant sounds of the city. Jane had finally cooled down, probably thanks to Thor, and the two of them had holed up in Jane’s bedroom. Darcy had been slightly reluctant to go to her own bedroom, as it was right next door, but thankfully there had been no unseemly noise coming from Jane’s room.

 

Darcy drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her shins. Seriously, how had she managed to get all the way downstairs without realizing it? Could she now add sleepwalking to her repertoire of nightly activities? Just great. Exactly what she needed.

 

There was just enough light filtering in from the streetlamps outside for her to make out Loki’s supine form across the room. He was still this time, free from dreams, his only movement the rise and fall of his chest. His pale skin was painted orange from the artificial light, and shadows turned his features sharp, almost skeletal.

 

Darcy rubbed absently at the runes on her arm. She had really done it. She had attached herself to Loki for the rest of their natural lives. The norns weren’t kidding around about “til death do us part.” Was she really up for being Loki’s parole officer for that long? She sighed and rubbed her forehead. Then she got up from the couch and padded silently into the kitchen.

 

She tried to make as little noise as possible while she made herself a cup of tea, but Loki probably wouldn’t have woken up even if she had an entire band playing the samba in the kitchen. He was exhausted and wounded and would sleep like the dead for several hours. How she knew that, she didn’t know, but she was fairly confident she was right.

 

A light footstep behind her made her jump and whirl around, summoning her staves from her pocket dimension. “ _ Thor _ ?” she demanded in a whisper once she had identified the shadowy figure in the doorway. “What are you doing?”

 

“I wanted to check on Loki,” he replied, also in a whisper. “And I heard you awake, so…” He trailed off with a shrug.

 

“Since when are you so light on your feet?” Darcy asked, dismissing her weapons.

 

“I am capable of stealth,” Thor told her. “I just see no use for it, most times.”

 

Darcy snorted and pulled a second mug down from the cupboard. “Why aren’t you asleep? It’s in the middle of the night.”

 

“My people require much less sleep than mortals,” Thor told her, crossing the kitchen so they stood closer together, and could hear each other better.

 

“That makes sense,” Darcy said, nodding, thinking of how she had never seen Loki sleep before, no matter how many times she’d dreamwalked to his cell. The water in the kettle was boiling, and Darcy could tell by the steam coming out of the spout that it was about to start whistling, so she quickly took it off the stove. She handed Thor one of the mugs.

 

“I’m starting to sense a pattern here,” she said dryly. “Important conversations over tea.” Thor gave her a strange look. “Oh, don’t give me that,” Darcy chided. “You can’t tell me you don’t want to talk about me taking Loki as my lagsmaðr.”

 

“You see into the hearts of men,” Thor said gravely, nodding his head. 

 

“Hardly,” Darcy replied, leaning against the counter. She blew on her tea. “Okay. Ask away.”

 

Thor shrugged again. “I have no questions,” he said. “I am merely brought to mind the words you spoke not long ago, about Loki being the Negotiator, the Raven-born, and the Silvertongue.”

 

“Oh, yeah,” Darcy said, sipping from her mug. “That. What about it?”

 

“It relieves me that this is how Loki’s fate played out,” Thor said. “And not something darker. As I told you before, I always doubted he would remain long in that cell.”

 

“I assure you, I wasn’t thinking about this when I said those things,” Darcy said mildly. “I still don’t know what they mean. All I was thinking was that this was a surefire way to get Loki under proper supervision without wasting his skills.”

 

Thor raised an eyebrow. “You mean to use his skills?” he asked.

 

“Loki taught me more in four months than I had managed to learn in a lifetime on my own,” Darcy told him. “Hell yeah I mean to use his skills.”

 

Thor nodded thoughtfully and took a long drink from his mug, heedless of the scalding temperature. “We will find a way for you to remain on Midgard, if that is your wish,” he told her.

 

Darcy shook her head. “I dunno. There is some attraction to the idea of exploring the other Realms.”

 

“But this is your home,” Thor said. “You should not be forced to leave it against your will.”

 

Her mouth turned downward. “Yeah. I can only imagine explaining that one to my mother. ‘Bye, mom, sorry, have to leave the planet. Don’t worry, I’ll call.’ Yeah, no.” She sighed and rubbed her eyes with her free hand. “I just wish it didn’t have to be so complicated.”

 

“Life is rarely anything less,” Thor said, resting his hand on her shoulder. “You are not alone in this, Darcy. Your friends will not abandon you.”

 

“ _ You _ might not. No telling what Steve and the others will do,” Darcy said. She grimaced. “Oh, god. I need to call Eric. Warn him not to come around for a while. He will flip his lid if he sees Loki.”

 

Thor withdrew his hand. “Yes. What was done to Eric is not quickly forgiven,” he said with a troubled expression.

 

“No one else seems to be able to see Loki as anything other than always chaotic evil,” Darcy said, putting her mug down on the counter. “Including your dad, by the way. I haven’t said anything before now, but Odin kinda fucked up handling Loki.”

 

Thor pressed his lips together. “Our father felt Loki’s betrayal very deeply. Perhaps deeper than anyone one else. Loki compromised the security of Asgard by allowing Frost Giants into the palace, and he endangered our mother. The Allfather is not quick to forgive such crimes.”

 

“Well, maybe if Odin had told Loki at some point he was adopted, and not filled his head with stories about how terrible the Frost Giants were, it might not have been such a big deal,” Darcy retorted. “Seriously, do you guys not have therapists or something?”

 

“What is a therapist?” Thor asked, ignoring the rest of Darcy’s accusations.

 

“You know, someone who helps people with their mental and emotional issues,” Darcy explained, gesturing impatiently.

 

Thor nodded. “Yes. We have mind healers.”

 

“You had Loki locked in a cell for a  _ year _ , and you didn’t think he might need one of these mind healers?” Darcy asked, crossing her arms.

 

“It was not my decision,” Thor said defensively.

 

“No but you could have talked to your dad, or your  _ mother _ . I bet Frigga would have been all over that idea. What the heck is wrong with you people?”

 

Thor sighed. “I do not deny that Loki was handled poorly, but you must understand, our ways are different than yours.”

 

“Uh-huh,” Darcy said, not impressed. “Your ways screwed up a perfectly good Frost Giant. Look at him. He’s got anxiety.”

 

Thor blinked at her a couple of times, completely nonplussed, and Darcy made a mental note not to use jokes from the internet on aliens who had no clue about Midgardian pop culture. “Forget it,” she said, gesturing curtly.

 

“Darcy,” Thor said after a moment of silence. “I am glad you have bonded Loki. I feel you will be beneficial for him. For his healing.”

 

Darcy rubbed the side of her nose. “That’s the hope,” she said.

 

“If you two are  _ quite _ finished,” Loki said sarcastically from the doorway. “Some of us are trying to sleep.” Both Darcy and Thor turned to face him. He was standing in the doorway, one hand pressed to the bandage on his chest. He must have clawed the tangles from his hair because it hung freely around his shoulders, although it was still greasy.

 

“Oh, my god, I’m so sorry,” Darcy said quickly. “I didn’t realize we were being noisy.”

 

Loki sniffed and walked stiffly over to the kitchen table and sat down. He glanced at the mug in Thor’s hand. “Is there any more?” he asked.

 

Darcy pulled down another mug and filled it with water from the kettle. She dropped in a tea bag and set it on the table in front of Loki. “Do you want honey, or lemon?”

 

“This is sufficient,” he replied stiffly, curling his hands around the mug as if seeking its warmth.

 

“We did not mean to wake you,” Thor said to Loki. Loki gave him a mild glare and said nothing.

 

“You mind if I check on…” Darcy gestured toward the bandage on Loki’s chest. Loki shook his head, so Darcy turned on the kitchen light, blinking until her eyes adjusted. Loki turned in his seat to give her better access, and she peeled the bandage away from his skin.

 

“Well, it’s not bleeding anymore,” she announced. “The swelling’s gone down. Guess the antibiotics are working. How long does it usually take for you guys to heal from something like this?”

 

“With a wound of this severity, a few days, perhaps a week,” Loki replied tightly.

 

“Really, is that all?” Darcy asked, genuinely surprised. “Damn. I guess you guys have godly immune systems to go along with the rest of it.”

 

“We are notoriously difficult to kill,” Loki commented. Darcy pressed the bandage back into place, and was pleased to note that the skin under her fingers had returned to its normal temperature.

 

“Once Loki is healed, then we can make a decision as to our next move,” Thor declared, placing his empty mug in the sink. “Until then, I think such matters can wait.”

 

“As long as SHIELD doesn’t do any follow-up interviews,” Darcy said dryly. “That’s exactly what we need. Agent Sitwell dropping in unannounced.” She blinked and pointed at Loki. “No. We are not going to kill him and toss his body in the river. That’s a bad idea. What the hell?”

 

He raised his eyebrow at her. “I did not say anything.”

 

“Not out loud,” she replied, narrowing her eyes.

 

Thor chuckled at the two of them. “Yes. I see the bond is strong between you two. If you will excuse me.” He inclined his head and left the kitchen, walking as lightly as he had come. Darcy watched him go, still surprised at how silently he moved.

 

“That was not a skill he learned easily,” Loki said, lifting his mug to his lips.

 

“Hmm, what?” Darcy asked, turning to stare at him.

 

“Thor,” Loki said. “Stealth is not one of his strong points. It took me years to teach him.”

 

“It’s just...unexpected,” Darcy said. “You know, he’s all about the hammer and thunder and then he’s tiptoeing around like a damn cat.”

 

Loki humphed and put his mug down, staring at the liquid with an expression between distaste and resignation. Darcy turned to look at him again. 

 

“I really am sorry about waking you. I know you needed your sleep.”

 

Loki shrugged. “You did not wake me. I do not sleep easily these days. I was restless.”

 

Darcy sat in the chair opposite him. “You wanna talk about it?” she offered. He gave her a withering look and sipped at his tea again. Darcy pressed her lips together. In the light from the kitchen, he still looked deathly pale, but at least he didn’t look like death warmed over. In fact, his eyes already looked less sunken, his cheeks no longer as hollow. 

 

Loki was  _ thin _ . Darcy had never noticed it before, but now it was undeniable as he sat across from her, shirtless. Especially in comparison with Thor, or even Steve (whom, yes, she had seen without a shirt). Loki had no excess fat, and barely any excess muscle. In fact, Darcy could almost count his ribs. His collarbone stood out stark beneath the deep hollow of his throat and even the bones in his wrists were prominent.

 

Then Darcy realized she’d been staring and she ducked her head to hide the blush flaming on her cheeks. If Loki noticed, he mercifully said nothing.

 

“So, uh, I was thinking,” Darcy said out loud, still trying to control the redness of her face. “That when you’re feeling up to it, we could continue our lessons?”

 

“If that is what you desire, yes, of course,” Loki said easily, sipping from his mug again. He wrinkled his nose in distaste but said nothing. Darcy made a mental note to see about getting  _ kava _ from Asgard. 

 

“Great!” she said brightly. “So, yeah. Uh, if you need anything else, you know where to find me!” With that, she fled back upstairs to the safety of her bedroom, away from Loki and his damned shirtlessness.

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy woke up to sunlight shining on her face and a crick in her back. She screwed her eyes tighter and covered them with a hand. She could smell eggs and pancakes cooking, and hear shuffling footsteps, pans moving back and forth, and whispering voices.

 

With a groan, she opened her eyes and was once again surprised to find herself in the living room off the kitchen. She wasn’t on the couch this time, but rather one of the ancient recliners. Loki sat on his sofa, the bedsheet draped over his shoulders like a cloak, sipping from a mug of coffee while he read something on Darcy’s tablet.

 

“What the hell?” Darcy demanded, looking around. “When did I get down here?”

 

“Sometime during the night,” Loki replied unhelpfully. “You were there when I woke up.”

 

“I was in my bedroom!” Darcy protested. “Son of a bitch! This is the second time this happened in one night.”

 

Loki just shrugged and went back to his reading. Darcy struggled out of the armchair and stretched her sore back. “The fuck is wrong with me?” Darcy muttered to herself. “I better not be sleepwalking.”

 

The smell of coffee distracted her and enticed her into the kitchen, where she found Jane and Thor making breakfast. The old-fashioned percolator had a full carafe of coffee, and Darcy poured herself a mug before looking around for the sugar bowl.

 

“You know, I’m pretty sure there was no danger of Loki dying in the night,” Jane said dryly, handing Darcy the carton of milk. “You didn’t have to watch over him or anything.”

 

“I wasn’t trying to,” Darcy replied, annoyed. “I am positive I started the night in my own bed. Twice.”

 

Jane frowned at the younger woman. “Are you sleepwalking?” she asked. “Is that a thing you do? Because I’ve never noticed you do it before.”

 

“Neither have I,” Darcy said. “And yet, here I am.”

 

Thor handed Darcy two plates of food. “Perhaps you can convince Loki to eat,” he said, changing the subject. “He refused when I offered.” 

 

Darcy frowned and put both plates on the table. “Huh. Weird.” She walked over and stuck her head into the living room. “Yo, Loki. Come on, grub’s up.”

 

“I am not hungry,” he replied without looking up from the tablet.

 

Darcy knew that was a lie. The hunger she felt in her belly wasn’t just from her. She entered the living room fully and walked over to lean against the back of the couch. “You’ve barely eaten in five days. What gives?”

 

“As I said, I am not hungry,” he said again, annoyance creeping into his voice. Darcy poked his shoulder.

 

“Yes, you are. I can feel it. So why are you lying?”

 

“Darcy,” he growled threateningly, still not looking at her.

 

“Oh, I get it. You don’t want to sit at a table with us and eat,” Darcy hazarded a guess. “What’s wrong? Are we not good enough company for you?”

 

Loki lowered the tablet and leaned just far enough away from her that he could turn and glare. “Contrary to what you may believe, but it is not easy for me to forgive my dear  _ brother _ for having me locked in a cell, simply because he has accepted my status as your lagsmaðr,” he snapped.

 

Darcy glared back at him. “Tough shit. Forgive or don’t forgive him. For now we are living under the same roof, which means we eat together. So get your ass into the kitchen or I’ll drag it there myself.”

 

“Is that an order,  _ my lady _ ?” Loki bit out, glaring harder.

 

Darcy sniffed haughtily. “That is a strongly worded suggestion,” she told him. “I will not let you starve because you’re too prideful to sit at the same damn table as Thor. And I’m not going to let you eat all by yourself for every meal. So hop to it, grumpy pants.”

 

Loki continued to glare at her for several long seconds. “Fine,” he said at length, clearly unhappy. “I will join you momentarily.”

 

Darcy nodded regally. “See that you do,” she said, and returned to the kitchen. Thor and Jane were already sitting next to each other at the table, eating quietly. Thor looked up questioningly. “He’s have a hissy fit,” Darcy explained. “Apparently he’s still sore over getting locked up in the dungeons.”

 

Thor pressed his lips together but said nothing. Darcy sat down opposite him and reached for the bottle of syrup on the table. A moment later, Loki pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. She looked over at him. He’d somehow (magic, Darcy. Duh) managed to procure an emerald-green tunic, the laces open at his throat. He’d tied his hair back from his face in an effort to look presentable.

 

For a moment, Loki stared down at the food on his plate, clearly flummoxed. He’d never had pancakes before, Darcy realized. She slid the butter over towards him and nodded at his plate. He gave her a sour look and began spreading butter on his pancakes.

 

“How did you sleep, Loki?” Thor asked politely.

 

“I am only pretending to be civil for Darcy’s sake,” Loki replied scathingly. “My presence here is not an invitation for conversation.”

 

Thor looked hurt, but not terribly disappointed. Jane and Darcy exchanged looks.

 

“So,” Jane inserted, pointedly not looking at Loki. “I talked to my mother, and she said we can stay here as long as we need to. She’s perfectly fine staying at the villa in Spain. And I emailed my notice to Agent Sitwell. As of this morning, we are officially unaffiliated.”

 

“I really wish you didn’t have to quit SHIELD because of me,” Darcy said unhappily, cutting her pancakes into bite-sized pieces.

 

Jane shrugged. “Hey, we’re in this together. Besides, I’ve been wanting to switch gears for a while now. I think I’d like to study the Convergence for a bit, maybe see about trying to record any after-effects or lingering gravitational anomalies.”

 

“The effects of the Convergence should actually last for several weeks,” Loki said unexpectedly, his eyes on his plate. “The laws of nature and reality will be noticeably weaker, and even the Ways will be unstable.”

 

“When you say unstable, you mean…?” Darcy prompted him.

 

“Weaker,” Loki continued, poking at his eggs with a fork. Though clearly disappointed with the quality of food he was offered, he must have realized he had no alternative, because he began eating stoically. “Fluctuating. If they are used, one must be cautious to only pass through when they are functioning normally.”

 

“These… Ways between the worlds,” Jane said, leaning her elbows on the table. “What exactly are they?”

 

“All the Realms are connected through Yggdrasil,” Loki explained, looking up at Jane. “The Ways are merely… shortcuts along the World Tree, places were the Realms are closest.”

 

“Skuld creates them,” Darcy piped up. “At least, that’s what Skaði says.”

 

Loki nodded. “Yes. She was the one who taught me the Ways that I know.”

 

Darcy stared at Loki, her eyes widening. “Shut the front door,” she said flatly. “Since when did you get tutoring lessons from Skuld?”

 

Loki gave her a pitying look. “How do you think I have been able to teach you so much of your own powers?” he asked.

 

“I thought Mother taught you to use the seidr,” Thor said with a frown.

 

“Hang on a sec,” Jane interrupted, frowning at Darcy. “Loki’s been teaching you to use your powers?”

 

“No one else was going to,” Darcy said defensively.

 

“But  _ Loki _ ?” Jane demanded. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

 

“Enough already!” Darcy burst out, slamming her hands on the table. “I  _ get _ it. You don’t trust Loki. Guess what, Jane?  _ No one _ trusts Loki, okay? But these were  _ my _ choices, and you don’t get to lecture me about them!  _ I _ decided to have Loki teach me, and  _ I _ decided to bond him. If you don’t like it, then we’d be happy to leave!”

  
There was a moment of shocked silence, and then Loki put his fork down. He turned to Darcy. “Yes, I think you were right,” he said in an arid tone. “Dining together was  _ such _ a good idea.”


	25. Fifty Words For Murder And I'm Every One Of Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so you know that little girl on Despicable Me with the plushie unicorn? That's how I felt writing this chapter. "IT'S SO FLUFFY!"
> 
> Seriously. I made myself cry. So. Much. Fluff.
> 
> And domestic!Loki. In earth clothes. Yaaasss.

“Son of a _bitch_ ,” Darcy said, upon finding herself in the living room for the third time in two nights. She was _positive_ she had started out the night in her bed upstairs, having crawled under the covers after a long day of playing referee between Thor and Loki. Yet here she was, curled up on the extra couch opposite a sleeping Loki.

Darcy rubbed one hand down her face. She wasn’t an idiot. She was familiar enough with the scientific process to figure out cause and effect. She was clearly sleepwalking into the living room because of Loki, and the only thing that had changed was the lagsmaðr bond.

“Just great,” she muttered to herself.

She had two choices. She could keep waking up on the god-awful sofa with a crick in her back, or… Darcy sighed heavily and rolled off the couch to her feet. She shuffled over to Loki and poked his shoulder, standing as far away from him as possible.

“Loki,” she hissed at him. When he didn’t wake, she poked him again, harder. “ _Loki_.”

He startled awake, pushing himself up to a half-sitting position before he took full stock of his location. He blinked at her in the dim light and frowned. “Darcy? What is it? What is wrong?”

“ _You_ are what’s wrong,” she replied, annoyed.

His frown deepened. “I… apologize?” he said quizzically.

“Every time I try and go to sleep in my own bed, I end up down here,” she explained, crossing her arms over her chest. “And it started right after I bonded you, so _clearly_ it is your fault.”

He stared at her for a beat. “And what do you wish me to do about it?” he asked flatly. “I do not have control of where you walk in your sleep.”

“I am _not_ going to spend another night on that torture device cleverly disguised as a sofa,” Darcy said emphatically.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Would you like me to tie you down to your bed to keep you from wandering?” he asked, his teeth flashing in the low light.

She resisted the urge to smack him. “Shut _up_ . What I _want_ is to actually get a decent night’s sleep. So I want to make things perfectly clear. What I’m about to say has _no_ deeper meaning, and there is _no_ euphemism.”

“ _Darcy_ …”

Darcy closed her eyes and sighed heavily. “I want you to come upstairs and sleep in my bed,” she said wearily. “Because if this stupid bond is forcing me to sleep in your near vicinity, at the very least I want to do it in an actual bed.”

Loki stared at her for a long, silent moment. “I had not realized this would be an effect of the bond,” he said at length. “Clearly you are instinctively seeking to be close to your protector while you are vulnerable.”

Darcy shook her head. “Look, whatever the reason is, I don’t care. I just want some actual sleep, which I don’t get too often these days.”

“Darcy, I do not--” Loki cut himself off sharply, and then tried again. “I do not think that is a wise idea.”

She uncrossed her arms and set her hands on her hips. “Are you telling me you’re incapable of keeping your hands to yourself?” she asked challengingly.

“ _No_ ,” he spat, and then regained his composure. “You have insisted, multiple times, that our relationship remain strictly platonic. Sharing a bed would… not send the message you desire.”

“Seriously?” Darcy asked, arching an eyebrow. “You’re worried about how it’s gonna look? It’s the twenty-first century, dude. People shack up. Wanna take a guess where Thor is sleeping?”

“And what will Thor think when he sees me leaving your chambers tomorrow morning?” Loki challenged.

“Since when do you care what Thor thinks?” Darcy shot back. “And he will think what I have told him, that there is _nothing_ going on between us.”

He shook his head. “Darcy, this is not wise.”

“Hey, I’m the one making those decisions now, okay?” Darcy said. “I’m the norn, remember?”

He sighed sharply through his nose. “Very well.” His tone was at once resigned and rebellious. He struggled to his feet, swaying slightly. He had to catch himself against the back of the sofa before straightening.

Darcy tilted her head to look up at him. “Uh… yeah. We are doing something about your hair, first,” she said. He blinked down at her. “Dude. A week with no shampoo is going to play havoc with my pillowcases,” Darcy went on.

His face twisted into a surly scowl. “I am sorry that I have neglected my personal hygiene due to having a _sword thrust through my chest_ ,” he said in his driest voice.

“Excuses, excuses,” Darcy said, waving a hand. She jabbed a finger into his chest, carefully to the right of his wound. “We are taking care of that, and then we are going to get some sleep. In an actual bed. Which you will stay on your side of. Capiche?”

“Yes, I _understand_ ,” Loki said, swatting her hand away.

“Good.” Darcy turned on her heel and marched toward the stairs, trusting that Loki would follow her. He did, after only a moment of hesitation. She got a stool from her bedroom and a towel from the cupboard and headed into the bathroom. Loki appeared in the doorway of the bathroom and hovered for a moment, brow furrowed.

Darcy put the stool in front of the sink and pointed. “Sit,” she ordered.

“I’m not a pet, to be ordered,” he snapped at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Sit, _please_.”

He walked over and lowered himself onto the stool, sitting with his back to the sink. Darcy rolled up the towel and placed it behind his neck. “Lean back.”

He glared at her before complying. She turned the water on and he flinched when it hit his scalp, still cold. She adjust the temperature until it was pleasantly warm. He flinched again when she put her wet fingers on his forehead to tip his head back into position.

“Geez, you act like I’m scalping you,” Darcy said. “ _Relax_.”

“I am not accustomed to being… coddled,” Loki said through gritted teeth.

“Seriously?” Darcy asked, cupping water in her hands to pour over his dark hair. “You were raised a prince. You’re telling me you _weren’t_ waited on hand and foot?”

“I was raised to be a _warrior_ ,” Loki told her. “To be a _leader_. I was given no more consideration during my training than any of the other Einherjar.”

Once Loki’s hair was sufficiently wet, Darcy flicked the water from her hands and grabbed the bottle of shampoo and poured some out on her hands. She rubbed her hands together briefly before burying her fingers in his hair.

“You know, some people enjoy having this done,” she told him.

He had his hands clenched in his lap. “I don’t enjoy being touched,” he replied tightly.

“Human contact is good for physical and mental health,” Darcy said, massaging the shampoo into his hair. “Might do you some good to get a hug every once in awhile.”

“If you find anyone willing to provide such a service to me, then I might consider it,” Loki snapped. “But as it is, the number of people willing to make themselves so vulnerable is rather slim.”

Darcy wound her fingers in his hair and tugged lightly. “Hey, this attitude is not going to help people change their opinion of you. If you hate yourself, it just gives people an excuse to hate you, too.”

He glared up at her, dark brows meeting above pale green eyes. “What is your word for this? Psychoanalyze? I am not a puzzle for you to solve, nor a broken toy for you to fix.”

“No, you’re my lagsmaðr, and I’ve told you, it’s my job to take care of you,” Darcy told him. “So stop fighting me.” She finished shampooing and started rinsing his hair clean.

“It isn’t,” Loki said.

“Isn’t what?”

“Your duty to take care of me.”

“That’s what partners do, jackass. They take care of each other.”

“Again with the petty insults?”

“Hmm. You’re right. That’s unnecessary. Sorry.” Darcy pressed excess water from his hair and patted his shoulder. “Up.” He leaned forward so Darcy could catch the towel and shake it out before starting to vigorously towel his head. He grunted and tried to pull away but she followed him. “Ah-ah,” she said warningly, and he subsided, his expression grim.

When she was done she stepped back, lowering the towel, and resisted the urge to giggle at the sight of him glaring back at her through disheveled, black locks. She dug out a comb from a drawer and handed it to him. He took it, still glaring at her.

She hung up the towel and left the bathroom. Her bedroom was directly across the hall and, though it was tiny, sported a double bed. Which, she realized upon a second look, was still going to be a tight fit. Loki was well over six feet, even if he didn’t have Thor’s bulk. Darcy pinched the bridge of her nose. There was no way she could back out now, not after she’d made such a big deal about it.

She turned the duver back and crawled under the covers, choosing the side closest to the wall. She left the light off as there was enough light leaking in from behind the curtains. So she had a clear view of Loki when he appeared in the doorway, resting one hand uncertainly on the doorframe.

Darcy rolled over onto her side, facing the wall. She didn’t say anything to him. Hopefully he would take her silence to mean she was ultimately leaving the choice up to him, just as she promised. Loki stood in the doorway for several whole minutes before finally shuffling forward.

Darcy scooted further toward the wall to give him as much room as possible. He hesitated once more before finally sliding under the duvet and immediately turning his back to her, keeping as close to the edge as he could to keep from touching her.

Yeah… because this was now so much better. Darcy sighed silently through her teeth. She had a feeling she was really going to regret this decision.

XxxXxxX

Darcy had never been a consistent sleeper. When she dreamwalked, she slept so deeply it took physical effort or stimuli to wake her. When she wasn’t dreamwalking, she often slept so lightly that the slightest noise roused her. On the other hand, when she had a prophetic dream she could probably sleep through the end of the world and wake up in Gehenna six hours later wondering what happened.

This morning, however, she woke up with the realization that she hadn’t so much as moved since she’d laid down, and has slept so deeply she hadn’t even dreamed. It had been the best sleep she’d had in months. As her brain slowly came back to full consciousness, the events of the previous evening returned to her.

Darcy tensed when she remembered what she had done. What had she been thinking, asking Loki to share her bed? Talk about giving mixed signals! That was clearly the worst decision in a long chain of bad decisions. What was she supposed to do now? What if Thor, or God forbid, _Jane_ , saw him leaving her room? They would never believe her that she and Loki were not involved.

She peeked over her shoulder and found, to her intense relief, that Loki was already gone, his side of the duvet pulled neatly up so as not to expose her to the chill night air. She slipped out of bed and quickly dressed before heading downstairs, twisting her hair up into a messy bun as she went.

She found both Loki and Thor in the kitchen, a frosty silence between them. One of them (probably not Thor) had figured out how to work the coffee machine, and Loki was in the process of taking a loaf of bread out of the oven. Darcy recognized it as one of the ones Eydis had made; Loki was clearly warming it up again.

“Are you… making breakfast?” Darcy asked, staring at Loki with wide eyes. He turned to look at her as he put the bread on the counter.

“I have spent many war campaigns in the field with no one to cook for me but myself,” he informed her stiffly. “I am capable of preparing a meal.”

Darcy blinked. “Do you need any help?” she asked after a moment.

“No,” he replied coldly.

“I offered as well,” Thor spoke up from where he leaned against the counter. He was without his armor, wearing only his leather trousers and a sleeveless shirt made of slick, gray fabric. His feet were bare and his blonde hair was pulled back into a loose braid. “He gave me the same response.”

“I think that’s because he’s still not speaking to you,” Darcy told him. She waved him away from the coffee machine and pulled a mug down. As she poured her coffee, Thor looked down at her with an unreadable expression.

“How did you sleep?” he asked in a neutral voice.

Darcy jerked, her cheeks flaming red. “Fine,” she said, a bit too sharply, and slammed the carafe back into place hard enough to slosh the liquid over the spout and onto her hand. “ _Shit_.” She hissed in pain and jerked her hand back, shaking it back and forth. She put down her mug and lunged to the kitchen sink, turning on the cold water and plunging her hand underneath the flow.

Her hand was already turning red with white splotches that promised blisters to follow. “Shit, shit, shit,” Darcy chanted, her teeth clenched in pain. The cold water barely helped to soothe the burn. Then she felt Loki behind her, pressed against her back as he reached around to turn the water off. He gently took her injured hand in his, brushing his thumb over the burned flesh.

It should have hurt, the pressure and friction, but instead there was only the tingle of magic and a cooling sensation as the redness faded and the blisters disappeared. Darcy stared at her hand, still caught in his, and at her smooth, unmarred skin. His hold on her was light, just enough for her to feel the coolness of his skin, and the catch of the callouses on his fingers.

Then she remembered what had happened the last time he’d healed her, and she snatched her hand away, clenching it in a fist against her chest. “Thanks,” she muttered, turning her head away and down. Loki stepped away from her.

“You are welcome,” he said stiffly.

Darcy took a deep, steadying breath, and turned to retrieve her mug of coffee. She caught sight of Thor’s expression a moment before he smoothed his face once more into neutrality. It had been a knowing look, somewhere between vindication and resignation.

She glared at Thor for a moment before angrily adding sugar to her coffee and stomping into the living room without bothering to get milk. Jane was just coming down the stairs and saw her face.

“Whoa, what’s wrong?” Jane asked, peering blearily at Darcy. “You look like someone took the last of the coffee.” Her expression turned horrified. “Please tell me someone didn’t take the rest of the coffee.”

“I’m fine,” Darcy spat. “It’s nothing.”

Jane rocked back on her heels, taken aback by Darcy’s vehemence. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Sorry I asked.” She continued on her way into the kitchen. Darcy dropped onto the couch, the one that was still stained with Loki’s blood. Jane slowly backed out of the kitchen.

“Darcy,” she said nervously.

“What?” Darcy said, taking care to temper her tone.

“Why is Loki making breakfast?” Jane asked.

“Because he can, apparently,” Darcy replied. “And no, he doesn’t need help.”

Jane stood frozen for a moment, staring into the kitchen with apprehension. “Okay,” she said again, and bravely ventured into the kitchen once more. Darcy used the ensuing peace and quiet to calm herself. She’d almost gotten to the bottom of her mug when Loki walked into the room, carrying a bowl and a spoon. He set the bowl down on the coffee table next to her and went to leave.

Darcy looked into the bowl. It appeared to be toasted bread torn into chunks with milk poured over it, topped with some kind of sugary syrup and fresh fruit. “Did you make this for everyone?” she asked him. “Because this doesn’t look enough to hold you and Thor over.”

“This is for you and Jane,” Loki told her, a little of the stiffness leaving his voice. “Thor is more than capable of reheating the food already prepared.”

“Thank you,” Darcy said, sincere, and picked the bowl up. Loki inclined his head and went back to the kitchen. Jane wandered into the living room a moment later, carrying her own bowl, and plopped down onto the couch.

“Have you tried it yet?” she asked. “It’s really good.”

Darcy scooped up a spoonful and chewed thoughtfully. Toasting the bread kept it from getting too soggy from the milk, and the tartness of the raspberries offset the sweetness from the syrup. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Yeah, it is,” she agreed.

Jane propped one foot on the coffee table and studied Darcy for a long moment. Then she took a deep breath. “Okay, I just want to get this out there because I don’t want us to fight anymore. I don’t trust Loki. I don’t want him here. But I trust _you_ , and if you say he’s good, then he’s good. I won’t say anything about it anymore.”

Darcy tilted her head. “Thank you?” she said, wrinkling her nose.

“ _But_ ,” Jane went on, waving her spoon at Darcy. “If something goes wrong and he fucks up, I am totally letting you take all the blame.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’re too kind,” she said sarcastically.

Jane shrugged and leaned back, rocking her leg back and forth. “I’m thinking we do a field trip today,” she announced. “Loki said the after-effects of the Convergence should last several weeks. I want to go back to Greenwich and see if we can record them.”

Darcy took another bite of her breakfast. “That… probably could work. I’m sure we’d all like to get out of the house. I mean, it’s small enough with just the two of us, and then you add two larger-than-life Norse gods…” she trailed off with a shrug.

“Yeah,” Jane said with a nod. “It’s getting a bit crowded.”

Darcy began to eat with a purpose. “I’ll have to check Loki’s stitches. By his count they should be ready to come out. If so, I want to take care of it before we leave.”

Jane nodded again. “Okay. No rush. Maybe leave around eleven?”

“That works,” Darcy said.

Secretly she was grateful for anything to distract Jane. The less she paid attention to whatever the hell was going on between Darcy and Loki, the better.

XxxXxxX

Darcy snipped the thread on the last suture and pulled it free with a pair of tweezers before sitting back and examining the wound. It had closed nicer than she had expected, and wouldn’t leave nearly as bad a scar as she would have thought. It was no longer red nor swollen, and Loki’s fever hadn’t returned.

“I guess you weren’t kidding about your healing time,” she said, stripping her gloves off. She was very carefully _not_ looking at the rest of Loki’s bare chest, but dammit it was harder than she cared to admit. “But you really probably should focus your energy on healing yourself, not minor burns.”

“You were in pain,” Loki told her tersely. “It is my duty to protect you.”

“Dude, _partners_ ,” Darcy emphasized. She waved a finger between them. “Two-way street. Don’t give me any of this chauvinist ‘I must protect the weaker sex’ crap. My mama didn’t raise no damsel in distress.”

“Your people’s grasp on basic grammar is always so stunningly rudimentary,” Loki replied, reaching for his tunic. He pulled it over his head, mercifully covering his expanse of pale skin.

“And you are still such a snob,” Darcy retorted, getting to her feet. She gathered up the scattered medical supplies on the table. “You should probably change into something a little less conspicuous,” she said. “As soon as Jane gets back with clothes for Thor, she wants to head out.”

“Yes, I know our time table,” Loki said testily, also getting to his feet. “Although really, I don’t know what Thor will do other than get in the way.”

Darcy leveled a mild glare at him. “I get that you don’t want to talk to him right now, but can we avoid outright antagonism? Remember, you’re one of the good guys, now. Good guys get along.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at her in challenge, but said nothing before turning and stalking away. Darcy stared at his back before shaking her head and going to put the supplies away. She had to get dressed herself, maybe throw some makeup on. At least look marginally presentable.

She heard Jane get back while she was in the bathroom, braiding her hair so she could pin it up. She wore it up most days now, like the rest of the norns. She wondered if they were rubbing off on her a bit more than she thought. Whatever the cause, the hair went up, the glasses stayed off, and she went downstairs ready to face the daunting task of keeping Loki and Thor from coming to blows.

When she reached the ground floor sitting room, she froze at the bottom of the stairs, eyes widening in shock. Loki was helping Jane pack equipment into a plastic crate, which was not the only surprising thing. He was wearing an emerald green button-up shirt and a thin green tie of a slightly darker shade. Over that he had a long, leather duster that had been tailored to fit him perfectly, insets of green canvas over his chest and ribcage. Not only that, but he was also wearing black jeans and his own black boots. His hair was tied neatly back at the nape of his neck.

 _Damn_ , Darcy thought. He looked _good_. She quickly schooled her features when he glanced up at her. “Ready?” she asked briskly. “Where’s Thor?”

“Here,” he said behind her. Darcy skipped forward and then turned around, once more wide-eyed in surprise. She had no idea Jane had such good taste. Thor was wearing a deep red v-neck sweater, _extremely_ well fitted jeans, and a whiskey-colored leather jacket. Like Loki, his hair was pulled out of the way, not in the half-tail and braids he’d been wearing during the Convergence.

“Damn,” Darcy said, out loud this time. “You look good in Earth clothes, lightning-bro.”

Thor flashed her a brief but brilliant smile and gestured for her to walk ahead of him. Loki and Jane finished packing the crate, and Loki stooped to pick it up. “I can carry that,” Thor said quickly, moving forward.

“I have it,” Loki snapped back. “Really, brother, not everything needs to be a competition.” With that he sidled past Jane and out the door before Thor could react. Thor, Jane, and Darcy stared at the door for a silent moment before Darcy slapped Thor on the arm.

“Pretty sure he can’t hate you forever,” she said in a decidedly unhelpful tone. “Mostly pretty sure.”

They took the Tube because there was no way Thor _and_ Loki were going to fit in a car at the same time. Thor was less than impressed by this mode of transportation, but Loki looked around with interest, leaning towards the windows at each stop so he could examine the platforms. His head constantly turned this way and that, eyes darting to each person who entered or exited their train car. He didn’t bother with a handhold or a seat, keeping his balance quite well on his own, but he did reach out a steadying hand to keep Jane from toppling over during one rather sudden stop.

Loki also insisted on carrying Jane’s crate of equipment when they exited, mostly, Darcy believed, to annoy Thor, who was definitely letting his brother get to him this time. Darcy rolled her eyes as they rode the escalator up to the surface.

“You mortals are so breathtakingly lazy that you created stairs that _move_ ,” Loki said, looking up and down the escalator. “Your ingenuity for the inane never ceases to astound me.”

“We’ve invented a lot of cool stuff,” Darcy protested, riding several steps above him so their heights were equal.

“Such as?” he challenged, raising an eyebrow.

“Robots that do something other than blow shit up,” Darcy said, shoving her hands in her pockets against a gust of wet, chill air. “Space ships. Asgard doesn’t have any space ships.”

“We have the Bifrost,” Loki retorted.

“But _your_ people have never walked on the surface of your moon!” Darcy said triumphantly.

Loki blinked at her. “Whyever would we want to do that?” he asked, dumbfounded. “There is nothing _there_.”

“Because science!” Darcy said, shrugging her shoulders. “I dunno. Jane! Back me up here!”

“It’s about exploration,” Jane added. “Pushing our boundaries. Expanding our knowledge of the universe. We don’t have a Bifrost, so we have to take the long way through space.”

“It does show a certain daring spirit,” Thor said with a fond smile as the finally reached the surface. Darcy skipped a few steps and then hopped to a halt on a patch of grass.

“Look!” she said, pointing. “SHIELD’s already cleaned everything up!” The only evidence of the battle was the deep groove Malekith’s ship had carved in the courtyard and patches of broken flagstones here and there. The repairs to the buildings were already underway.

Thor paused for a moment, suddenly uneasy. “You do not think anyone will recognize us?” he asked, looking around at the people walking by.

“Nope,” Darcy assured him. “No cape, no hammer, no chance.”

Thor slanted his gaze at Loki, who was making his own scan of the crowd. “Not even Loki?” he asked, dropping his voice. “Surely there were images.”

“Yes,” Darcy said with a nod. “Images of a blurry dude in green armor and a helmet with big-ass horns. No one’s going to recognize him. Trust me.”

“Let’s start over here,” Jane called, already heading off across the courtyard. The other three hurried to follow her. She gestured impatiently for Loki to put the crate down and dug the frequency modulator out, holding it up in the air. “Darcy, get the phase meter!”

“Got it!” Darcy said, grabbing it out of the crate.

“We’re getting slight readings from north of here,” Jane announced. She took off without warning, leaving Thor and Loki staring after her, startled.

“You run with the nerds, you gotta keep up!” Darcy yelled at them, already hot on Jane’s heels. She glanced over her shoulder to see both of them jogging after the women, the crate under one of Loki’s arms.

“Holy crap, Darcy, are you getting this?” Jane demanded, grinding to a halt. “These readings are as strong as the day of the Convergence.”

“That can’t be right,” Darcy said looking over her shoulder, and then double-checking the readings on the phase meter. “Loki said the after-effects would be weaker.”

“We’re talking about full-functioning gravitational anomalies,” Jane exclaimed excitedly. She reached out and slapped Darcy’s arm. “Are you recording this?”

“Give me a sec,” Darcy replied, and flipped a switch on the phase meter. “Where exactly is it? I don’t see anything.”

“It should be right… there.” Jane pointed. Darcy turned to look and went pale.

“Uh, Jane,” Darcy said, her eyes widening. “I’m thinking we should run.”

Jane looked up and she, too, went pale. “What the hell _is_ that?” she gasped.

The giant, four-legged, blue-skinned beast roared and galloped across the street, swinging its head to knock a car flying with its horns. Thor and Loki skidded to a halt next to the two women. Loki took a deep breath.

“ _Faen_ ,” he said with feeling.


	26. Heroes Get Remembered But Legends Never Die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! For all of my single fans, I'll be your valentine! Here is my gift for you. Better than chocolate, right?
> 
> Why do I like beating up my characters? I have no idea. I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort apparently. Nothing brings two characters together like life-threatening injuries, right?
> 
> Spoiler alert: Darcy and Loki are idiots and I love torturing you.
> 
> Warning: I have had five hours of sleep in the last two days. I make no promises for my spelling. God, I love law enforcement...

Thor’s first instinct was to summon Mjolnir, but Jane grabbed his arm to stop him. “Mjolnir always comes in a  _ straight line _ ,” she told him frantically. “Think of all the building between here and there.”

 

“But we have no weapons,” Thor replied, glancing between her and the monster.

 

“What the hell is that thing?” Darcy asked, staring as the beast paused to snap a lamp post in two. Loki said a word that Darcy was pretty sure she would never be able to pronounce. “Where did it come from?” she went on.

 

“Jotunheim,” Loki and Thor said at the same time.

 

“How did it get  _ here _ ?”

 

“The Convergence,” Jane guessed.

 

The creature--frost-beast, Darcy decided--went after another parked car. Darcy sighed. “We should probably do something.”

 

“ _ Must _ we?” Loki asked, his nose wrinkling in disgust. 

 

Darcy elbowed him in the ribs. “Good guys. That’s us.” Loki sighed and put Jane’s crate of equipment down. Jane tore off the lid and started digging through it.

 

“You know what, I can probably rig something up to open one of the anomalies wide enough to get that thing through,” Jane said. pulling out random pieces of equipment.

 

“Do we know  _ where _ that would send it?” Darcy asked. “I mean, we could end up dumping it right into the middle of Asgard.” She didn’t miss Loki’s amused and thoughtful expression.

 

“Better there than here,” Jane replied hotly. “At least they’d be able to deal with it. Thor and I will take care of the anomaly. You and Loki are gonna have to lure it in.”

 

Loki rolled his eyes. “At least it is a small one,” he muttered.

 

Darcy’s eyebrows jumped toward her hairline. “That’s a  _ small _ one?” she demanded. “It’s the size of a cement truck!”

 

“Oh, they get  _ much _ bigger,” Loki said with a grin that was not at all sane. He pointed at a nearby taxi cab that had been left idling in the middle of the street. “Can you operate this vehicle?”

 

“Uh,  _ yeah _ ,” Darcy said, glaring at him.

 

“Good. Follow me. I have a plan.”

 

“Oh, he has a  _ plan _ ,” Darcy muttered to herself as she jogged after her lagsmaðr. She flung herself into the driver’s side of the cab while Loki got in the passenger side. He slammed his elbow into the window, smashing the glass, and pulled his upper body through, resting his hip against the doorframe.

 

“Try to get in front of it,” Loki instructed.

 

Darcy grumbled a string of invectives under her breath as she slammed her foot down on the accelerator. The frost-beast was too big and the street was too narrow for her to try to get around it that way, so she wrenched the wheel around and darted down a side road before squealing around to floor it down a parallel road. 

 

As she sped down the road suddenly free of other motorists, she pulled up the tracker app on her phone. A red dot showed her Jane and Thor’s location. That was where she would have to get the frost-beast, once they put Loki’s plan into effect. Loki’s plan. Oy vey. If it involved excessive property damage, she was going to be pissed.

 

Loki banged on the roof of the cab. “You are in front of it! Turn now!” She wrenched the wheel around and got back on the main road. She saw a flash of green light in the rearview mirror and then she heard the frost-beast bellow in pain. Then Loki pounded on roof of the cab again. “You may want to go faster!”

 

Darcy twisted around to look at the monster. “ _ Shit _ , that thing can move!” she exclaimed. The frost-beast was rapidly gaining on them. Darcy made a split-second decision and spun the wheel to head down another side road. Loki sent another blast of magic at the beast to ensure it would follow.

 

The frost-beast did not have the same turn radius as the much-smaller cab, and skidded in its effort to follow. It slammed into the side of a building, cracking the brick and knocking glass and debris loose. Darcy winced. Okay, that one was on her.

 

The creature slalomed after them, gaining ground despite Darcy’s efforts. She headed back towards the university courtyard, making a wide circle towards Jane and Thor’s location. She was forced into a street that still had people driving on it and grimaced as she lurched the cab out of the way of an oncoming vehicle.

 

Loki turned and sent a blast of magic at a car in front of them, sending it squealing out of their way and into another car. Darcy bit her tongue and chose not to say anything, as the impact hadn’t really been that hard, and the frost-beast was still hot on their trail. The beast stomped on the hood of a passing car and launched itself into the air in a pounce.

 

“ _ Shit _ ,” Darcy screeched, and slammed on the brakes. She heard Loki scramble for a handhold on the slick metal. The frost-beast sailed over them and landed in the street before whirling around with an angry growl. “Loki!”

 

“I am doing the best I can!” he yelled back. A bolt of green energy flew towards the frost-beast and exploded into shimmering, green stars in front of its face. It shook its head, dazzled, and Darcy took the the opportunity to head down a perpendicular street, trying to get back towards Jane. She heard the frost-beast’s footsteps pounding after them when it started to follow.

 

Darcy caught sight of Thor and Jane up ahead, standing on either side of the street. Each of them carried some kind of make-shift device in their hands and the air between them shimmered and rippled like the surface of a soap bubble. Darcy pressed down on the accelerator and headed straight towards them.

 

She wrenched the wheel around at the last minute, sending them into a sideways skid. The frost-beast tried to imitate the maneuver, but its momentum was too great, and it continued sliding forward. It reached out a massive paw towards the cab. Darcy screamed when a claw slammed through the back window, and again when the cab was dragged backwards.

 

Then the anomaly swallowed them.

 

One moment they were skidding across asphalt, the next the tires were dragging through dirt. Loki was already moving before Darcy could process what was going on. He pulled himself back into the vehicle and grabbed Darcy’s arm, yanking her towards him. Once she was safely clutched to his chest, he pushed off the center console with all his strength, his back hitting the passenger door and tearing it off its hinges.

 

They hit the ground and rolled. Darcy got flashes of blue sky, green, red dirt, and then they skidded to a halt, Loki still holding onto her protectively. There was a tremendous crash from somewhere nearby, and then it was silent.

 

Darcy lay unmoving, still somewhat in shock, her heart crashing in her ears and her panting breaths only dragging dirt into her lungs. She started coughing. Loki uncoiled from around her and helped her sit up, patting her back briskly until her lungs cleared. She swallowed quickly and looked around.

 

“Where are we?” she asked hoarsely.

 

“Honestly, I haven’t the faintest idea,” Loki replied.

 

They sat on the edge of a steep drop-off. Behind them was a dry, grassy plain, dotted by squat, scrubby trees. Darcy crawled over to the edge of the cliff and looked down. About two hundred feet below them rested the obliterated remains of the taxi and the broken corpse of the frost-beast. The trees below were thicker and greener, and a river glinted in the sunlight in the distance.

 

“The anomaly is gone,” Loki announced from behind her. She twisted. He stood a few yards away, hands outstretched as if feeling for something he couldn’t see. 

 

“Define gone,” Darcy said, scrambling to her feet.

 

Loki sent her an annoyed look. “As in,  _ not there _ . It has closed. Vanished.”

 

Darcy turned around in a slow circle, taking in the landscape. “Soooo… We’re stuck here?”

 

“For the moment, yes,” Loki said, and brushed dirt from his trench coat. Darcy was already starting to sweat under her wool jacket. The sun was bright overhead and the air was warm. Like, African safari kind of warm. She stripped off her coat and scarf, and seriously considered her sweater for several long moments before deciding to keep that on for the time being. It was hot as hell, but it would protect her skin from the sun.

 

“Okay,” Darcy said with a brisk nod. “What’s our plan? How do we get back to Earth?”

 

“We need to identify where we are,” Loki said, going to the edge of the cliff and leaning over. “Then we might be able to find Ways out of this Realm.”

 

“How are we gonna identify it?” Darcy asked. “I don’t see any ‘you are here’ signs.”

 

He gave her a downright chilly look. “I should be able to identify star pattern formations when the sun sets,” he said through gritted teeth.

 

“We’re literally gonna navigate by the stars?” Darcy asked, raising her eyebrows. “Seriously? What is this, the high seas?”

 

“Astronomical navigation is consistent, reliable, and requires no advanced technology if one is skilled enough,” Loki told her impatiently. He held out his arm to her. “Come here.”

 

“Why?” Darcy asked belligerently. 

 

He clenched his teeth in frustration. “We are going to have to wait until the sun sets to get our bearings, and it would be wisest to wait where there is shade and water. You, however, are incapable of scaling a two-hundred foot sheer cliff, so I am going to use magic to get us down.”

 

“Oh,” Darcy said, and shuffled over to him. She wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but she didn’t expect him to pull her tight against his chest and wrap his arms around her waist. It took all her self-control not to pull away, but she held herself tense and stiff. The tingle of magic flooded her entire body, and there was a blinding flash of green light.

 

The air abruptly became more humid, and the sound of insects and birds erupted around them. Loki loosened his hold on her, and she jerked away from him. She managed to trip over her own feet and fell, catching herself against something cool and rubbery.

 

She realized she was leaning against the corpse of the frost-beast. “Oh,  _ fuck _ ,” she spat, and recoiled, shuddering violently. “Ew, ew, ew.” She rubbed her hands against her thighs before shaking them out, as if she could shake off the contact.

 

That’s when she realized they had descended the cliff in less than a second. “Did we teleport?” she demanded, whirling on Loki. “Is that a thing you can do? Can you teleport?”

 

“Over short distances, yes,” he replied shortly. Darcy took a moment to absorb that.

 

“You left my coat,” he said.

 

He frowned at her. “You hardly need it.”

 

“It was an expensive coat,” Darcy retorted with a glare. He glared back and started walking in the direction of the river. The trees were spaced too far apart to be a forest, and too close together to be grassland. There was little underbrush beside the grass itself, and the hum of birds and insects was loud around them.

 

Darcy trudged after Loki for several minutes without speaking, and then said, “I could try dreamwalking. See if I can contact any of the other norns. Maybe they’ll know where we are.”

 

Loki stopped and turned around. “Could you sleep? Truly? After what you’ve just been through? I would think your blood would be up for hours.”

 

Darcy grimaced. He was right. She could still feel the adrenaline singing through her body. She felt wired and jittery. “Yeah,” she said after a moment, disappointed. “Maybe later.” She abruptly started patting her pockets. “Shit.”

 

“What is it?” Loki asked.

 

“I think my cell phone was still in the taxi,” Darcy said with a sigh. “Which means it’s in tiny, tiny pieces by now.”

 

Loki raised an eyebrow. “Would it even have worked in this realm?”

 

“Probably not,” Darcy admitted. “But if I could dreamwalk back to Earth, I could have carried it with me and contacted Jane. Or Steve. Or someone.”

 

“Your human friends will be of no use to us,” Loki told her with a sniff.

 

“Maybe, but they will be worried about us,” Darcy retorted. “The least we could do is let them know we’re okay.”

 

The corners of his mouth drew downward, and he turned and started walking without another word. Darcy grimaced at his back. Of course. Because this wasn’t the first time in the last week that he’d been stranded on an uncivilized planet with no one knowing if he was alive. Fantastic.

 

It took them over an hour to reach the water. The river was wide and slow-moving, the water brown and murky. The banks were sandy and shallow, making an easy approach to the water. Loki immediately went to the waterline and knelt in the sand. He made a cup appear in his hand, and he scooped water into it. Then he passed his hand over the cup and offered it to Darcy.

 

She took it from him and looked inside. The water was clear and sparkling, and felt cool through the metal of the cup. “You seriously had a cup in your pocket dimension?” she asked.

 

“I find it best to be prepared for a number of situations,” he told her.

 

“Right,” Darcy said. “Thanks.” She drained the cup and handed it back. It took three cups to slake her thirst, and then Loki drank just as deeply. Then they retreated back to the meager shade offered by the trees.

 

Darcy couldn’t stand her sweater anymore. She stripped it over head, leaving her in just her camisole. She fanned herself with her hand a couple of times, and glared at Loki, who was still wearing his trench  coat. “How are you not roasting?” she demanded.

 

“My core body temperature is significantly lower than yours,” he replied shortly, and pulled a book out of thin air. Darcy continued to glower at him for a moment, and then crossed her arms. She amused herself for a while by watching the flight of unfamiliar birds over head, until the crash of her adrenaline, the drone of the insects, and the heat caused her to nod off.

 

She didn’t sleep deep enough to dreamwalk, but just remained in a light doze, her awareness fading in and out. Loki remained where he was every time she was awake enough to check. It must have been in the morning when they arrived, because it only seemed to get hotter. Darcy’s doze became more and more fitful until she came wide awake with a sharp pain in her thigh.

 

She yelped in surprise and reached down on instinct, her hand closing around a slender, muscular body. It was a snake, muddy green-brown in color and as big around as her arm. “ _ Fuck _ ! Loki!”

 

Loki instantly dropped his book and lunged forward. “Do not pull it free,” he barked, and took hold of the serpent directly behind its head. “Let go.” Darcy jerked her hand away. The pain had already vanished, which was good, but her leg was going numb, which was decidedly not good.

 

Loki’s hand shimmered green, and the snake abruptly went limp. He eased its fangs free from Darcy’s thigh and flung it away. A dagger appeared in his hand, and he slit her jeans from knee to hip. Blood oozed from a pair of punctures in her skin, but dark veins spidered out from the holes.

 

“Oh, shit, that’s not good,” Darcy said, staring with wide eyes.

 

“What do you feel?” Loki demanded. “Pain, burning, or numbness?”

 

“Numb,” Darcy told him. “My whole leg. And my stomach, too.”

 

Loki hissed through his teeth. “Fast-moving venom. This is not good.”

 

“No shit!” Darcy snapped.

 

He bared his teeth at her and hovered his hand over the bite wound. “This is going to hurt,” he warned her. Darcy braced herself and nodded at him.

 

“Hurt” was an understatement. Darcy considered herself to have a high tolerance to pain. After all, she’d been stabbed through the chest and shot close-range by a high-powered rifle. Everything else pretty much paled in comparison.

 

This didn’t.

 

She passed out after only a few seconds, her consciousness spiraling into darkness.

 

XxxXxxX

 

She was cool, and lying on something hard. Something heavy and awkwardly-shaped covered her, and she could hear quiet voices around her. Her thigh throbbed with heat and pain that radiated down to her toes and up to her armpit. She shifted and gasped as the pain blazed hotter.

 

A hand came down heavy on her shoulder. “Darcy?” asked a familiar, male voice. Her eyes flew open.

 

Steve’s face came into focus, hovering over her with a concerned expression. She stared at him in silence for several seconds. “Where am I?” she asked in a thick, raspy voice.

 

“The Triskelion,” Steve replied. “What the hell is going on? You showed up three hours ago and it looks like you’ve been bitten by a snake.”

 

“Yeah,” she said, trying to swallow. “Water?”

 

He slid his hand under her head to lift it up and held a bottle to her lips so she could drink. She saw Clint and Natasha standing side-by-side against a wall. When Steve lowered her head again, she realized she was in one of the gyms, and covered by Steve’s hoodie.

 

“Where are you?” Steve asked. “I called Jane but she said you fell through an anomaly in space.”

 

“Did,” Darcy mumbled. Her head felt foggy and it took a terrible effort to speak. “Dunno where.”

 

Steve’s hand tightened on her shoulder. “Whatever bit you, was it venomous?” he demanded.

 

“Uh-huh.” Darcy said faintly. “Sokay. Taking care of it.”

 

“Is there someone with you?” Steve asked. He shook her gently when she didn’t reply. “ _ Darcy _ .”

 

“Yes,” she said, screwing her eyes shut. “Gonna be okay, don’ worry.”

 

“Is there any way we can get you help?” Steve asked. “Darcy, stay with me.”

 

“Heimdall,” Darcy told him, and then passed out again.

 

XxxXxxX

 

The next time Darcy woke, it was to the sound of insects and running water. It was humid but no longer unbearably hot, and it was dark. She was lying on sun-warmed grass and was covered with something that smelled strongly of leather. Her head rested on something lumpy and firm.

 

She was very, very tired, and didn’t want to wake up at all, except her throat was parched and her lips were cracked. Her skin felt feverish and her thigh still burned with pain. She forced her eyes open. She saw treetops and stars beyond and… It took her a moment to identify Loki, because she had never seen him from this angle before. It was almost as if her head was in his lap.

 

Oh, wait…

 

Darcy groaned and Loki looked down at her sharply. “Darcy. You are awake.”

 

“Water?” she whispered. He reached off to the side and then held the rim of the cup to her mouth. He only let her have a few sips, though.

 

“You will make yourself sick,” he warned. “Your fever is very high.”

 

“How long?” she asked.

 

“About seven hours,” he replied.

 

“Saw Steve,” she told him. She shifted. “‘M I getting better?”

 

“You are healing,” Loki assured her. “I’ve placed a healing spell on you, but it’s drawing from your own energy, so it is working slower than usual. I’ve expended too much of my own magic to be able to speed up the process.”

 

“Thanks,” she mumbled. She stared up at the stars for a few moments. “You find out where we are?”

 

Loki followed her gaze upwards for a moment. “Yes. We are on Rhia.”

 

Darcy blinked slowly. “I have sisters here,” she murmured wearily.

 

Loki put his hand on her shoulder. “Rest. You will be healed by morning.”

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy woke up thirsty and ravenously hungry. When she opened her eyes she saw that it was morning, there was a fire, and there was something roasting over the fire. She was still lying on a bed of grass, Loki’s trench coat covering her, but Loki himself was gone. Darcy slowly pushed herself upright.

 

Her muscles were achy, as if she had the flu, and there was a grody, dried-sweat feeling to her skin. She pushed the trench coat aside to check her leg. There was no trace of the bite wound; it had healed without a scar. Darcy rubbed her fingers over the place where the injury had been.

 

There was a rustling in the grass, and Darcy jumped, drawing her legs protectively to her chest. But it was only Loki, approaching from the direction of the river. He saw her flinch and held up a hand. “I’ve warded the campsite from any living creature besides us. You have nothing to fear.”

 

She slowly uncoiled. “Good, because I do  _ not _ want to go through that again.”

 

Loki nodded in agreement and crouched down beside the fire. He was carrying something brown and bulky in his hands, and when he set it down, she saw it was made of leather, and it was wet. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing at it.

 

“It’s a waterskin,” Loki replied as he carefully lifted the roasting meat off the make-shift spit. “We’ll need to carry water with us if we’re going to walk any distance.”

 

“We’re going to be walking?” Darcy asked blankly.

 

Loki gave her a look. “ _ Yes _ . You said that you had sisters in this Realm. I was able to locate them last night. They are only two day’s walk northeast of here.”

 

“Why do we have to go to them?” Darcy asked, too hungry to focus.

 

“Because I do not know any Ways to or from Rhia,” Loki replied shortly. He summoned his dagger and sliced a thick piece off the meat. He offered it to Darcy. She took it cautiously and found that, despite just coming off the fire, it was cool enough for her to hold with bare skin.

 

They both ate quickly. The meat tasted gamey and Darcy decided it was probably best that she didn’t ask what sort of animal it had come from. It could have been a giant rat. Or an iguana. So she just ate and was thankful.

 

“So… when I woke up yesterday morning I did not expect to end up on a different planet and have to trek across uncivilized wasteland in order to get back home,” she said, licking her fingers clean. “Especially now that I have no pants.” She pointed to where she was still covered up by Loki’s trench coat. Her jeans had mysteriously disappeared during the night, along with her socks and shoes.

 

“You know,” she continued, narrowing her eyes at him. “You have been slowly losing my clothes since we got here. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that.”

  
“If I had intentions on your virtue, I assure you, I would not be so subtle,” he retorted, and retrieved the tattered remains of her jeans. They transformed in his hands in a sheen of green light, turning into some kind of thin, lightweight fabric of a deep green color. He held them out to her.

 

She stared at them for a long moment. “They’re green,” she said.

 

“Yes, they are,” he said in a voice one would normally reserve for a child. She transferred her stare to him. For a moment they stared at each other, silent, and then he sighed through his teeth. There was another shimmer, and the fabric turned dark brown. Only then did Darcy take them from him.

 

He picked up her sweater next, and changed it into a long-sleeve, hooded tunic from the same material, this one a lighter brown and tan. Her boots were next, turning from purely ornamental to sturdy and practical.

 

“Dude, you’re better than a Sears catalogue,” Darcy said, inspecting the intricate embroidery on the tunic.

 

“We should try to make good time before midday,” Loki told her. “I am sure you will need to rest during the hottest part of the day. You do have such delicate composition.”

 

“I am not  _ delicate _ ,” Darcy protested. “You’re just ridiculously super-powered. It’s not my fault I’m  _ normal. _ ”

 

“What is normal?” Loki challenged. “To me,  _ I _ am normal, and you are strangely weak.”

 

She stuck her tongue out at him and gestured. “Turn around.”

 

“ _ Darcy _ .”

 

“Turn around!”

 

“You are an  _ impossibly _ frustrating creature.”

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy decided that walking sucked. It was boring, monotonous, and Loki had rejected all her efforts to start a conversation. Whatever. He wasn’t exactly her first choice of companions to be abandoned on a deserted planet with, either, even if he did have excellent choice in clothes.

 

Whatever the fabric of her new clothes were made of, it was light and breathable enough to keep her cool in the merciless heat. Loki let her carry the waterskin so she could drink any time she needed to, because of course he wasn’t sweating like a pig and losing all his water. 

 

The landscape didn’t even accommodate them by being interesting. Their path happened to follow the river, and the scrubby grass and stunted trees never changed. They’d come across various wild animals a few times, but they all kept their distance. The first few times Darcy was entranced by the alien creatures, but then she was too hot and too pissed-off to care.

 

“This place sucks,” she announced when they stopped at midday to take shelter under one of the gnarled trees. “I hate Rhia.”

 

“It is not a particular favorite of mine, either,” Loki replied. He made his book appear and began reading. Darcy glared at him for a moment and then decided not to waste any energy on him. She walked to the bank of the river and scooped water into her hand, throwing it up over her face and neck. She retreated to the shade again to wait out the heat.

 

She had pulled up a handful of the course grass and was idly plaiting it into a braid when she felt ground shake between her. She looked up to see if Loki had felt it, too, and saw that he was already alert, scanning the area around them. He made his book disappear and got to his feet. 

 

“Wait here,” he ordered, and then vanished in a flash of green light.

 

“Son of a bitch,” Darcy muttered under her breath, and scrambled to her feet. She waited, tense and breathless, until he reappeared at her elbow. She yelped in surprise and jumped away from him, but he caught her arm.

 

“Whatever you do, do not say  _ anything _ ," he told her in an intense voice. “Leave the talking to me and do  _ exactly _ as I say.”

 

“What the hell is going on?” Darcy asked. The tremors under her feet were getting harder and closer together.

 

“There are four trolls coming this way, and they have seen you,” Loki replied grimly.

 

“Trolls,” Darcy repeated flatly. “Are you kidding me?”

 

“I am not,” he assured her.

 

“What are we going to do?” Darcy demanded, fighting to keep from panicking.

 

“If all goes well, speak with them and then go on our way.”

 

“And if all  _ doesn’t _ go well?” Darcy asked apprehensively.

 

“Run very, very swiftly.”

 

“Can we fight them?”

 

Loki gave her a dark look. “In case you’ve forgotten, I was stabbed through the chest less than a week ago, and I have expended a great deal of energy over the last two days. I am in no condition to take on four trolls.”

 

“Holy shit,” Darcy burst out, staring past his shoulder. She could see them now, coming towards them, the ground shaking with each footfall. They were each over thirty feet tall, and appeared to be made completely out of reddish-brown stone. “Holy  _ shit _ .”

 

Loki’s hold on her arm tightened. “Darcy, if it comes to blows, I will transport you as far away as I can,” he told her in an urgent voice. “You will have to run. Your sisters are a day and half journey directly north east of here.”

 

She stared at him, wide-eyed. “I’m not leaving you alone,” she said, aghast.

 

“Do  _ not _ be difficult,” he hissed at her. “I am your lagsmaðr and you are a norn. Your life is more precious than mine.”

 

“I’m not gonna let you  _ die _ for me,” she insisted. “That’s not part of the deal.”

 

Loki appeared to want to continue the argument, but there was no more time. The trolls reached them, fanning out into a circle around them. One reached down and uprooted the tree they had taken shelter under, tossing it carelessly over its shoulder.

 

Darcy gulped and latched onto Loki’s arm with both hands.

 

For a long, silent moment, the four creatures stared down at the two of them with beady eyes. Then Loki offered them what he was clearly trying to be a friendly smile.

 

“Well met, my friends,” he called. “You seem a bit far from the mountains. Are you perhaps lost?”

 

The trolls all exchanged glances, and then one stepped forward. It opened its mouth and let loose a terrible sound like grinding stones. Darcy blanched, sure it was some kind of battle-cry.

  
“We’re gonna die,” she squeaked.


	27. The Deeper I Go It Takes My Breath Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I did manage to get caught up on sleep, which is good because I'm pulling two double shifts this week. Gotta love being understaffed and a critical asset position. One person goes on vacation and it's not time off for you!
> 
> In other news: Again, this is a shorter chapter. But trust me, I've made up for it!

Darcy was positive that the four trolls were seconds away from smashing her and Loki into flat people-pancakes, and so was completely taken off-guard when that didn’t happen. The one troll continued making rock-grinding noises for several minutes, gesturing wildly with both hands while he did. Loki stared intently at the troll the whole time, occasionally nodding.

Darcy inched closer to him. “Is he… is that thing _talking_ to you?” she demanded in a whisper.

“Shh,” he said without looking at her. She glared at him, miffed. When the troll stopped making the cement-mixer sounds, Loki nodded sagely.

“Yes, I understand your concern, but I do not see how I can help you,” he said. The troll gestured angrily and made more scary noises. Loki frowned. “No, I assure you, you are mistaken.” He tried to continue but the troll stepped forward, swinging his arm forward threateningly. Loki backed up a step, pushing Darcy further away from the troll.

“ _Yes_ , very well,” Loki said quickly.

Darcy tugged on his sleeve. “What is going on? How can you understand them?”

“Be _silent_ ,” he hissed at her. He turned back to the troll leader. “What exactly is it you want me to do?”

While Darcy was gradually getting accustomed to the idea that they weren’t going to die, she was now getting antsy at not being able to understand what was being discussed. All she had to go on was Loki’s side of the conversation

“And I have your word on this?” Loki asked after a few minutes. The troll leader growled out something angry-sounding. “I do not,” Loki said, raising one hand placatingly. “I merely wish to seal our bargain.” The troll gestured again. “Very good.” Loki turned to Darcy. “They want me to complete a task for them,” he told her.

“Why you?” Darcy demanded. “What task?”

“They saw me perform magic,” Loki said. “Apparently they have been forced out of their home in the cliffs by an enchantment of some kind, placed by a rival tribe. They want me to undo the enchantment.”

“Are you going to do it?” Darcy asked.

“If I do not, they have threatened to kill and eat us both,” Loki told her in a tone far too casual for his words.

Darcy stared at him, wide-eyed. “Yuck,” she finally managed to say. “Sooo… what now?”

Loki shrugged. “I will do as they ask. It is the easiest way out of the situation.”

“Great. So, back to the cliffs? They were that direction, right?” Darcy asked, pointing. She was eager to get away from the trolls. Loki put his hand on hers where it rested on his arm.

“You must stay here,” he told her quietly.

“What? No! I’m going with you!” she protested instantly.

Loki shook his head. “They will not allow it. They need to keep you here to ensure I will do as they ask.”

“And we’re going along with that?” Darcy demanded.

“As I said, we cannot fight them, and this is the simplest solution.”

“It could be dangerous!”

“Undoubtedly,” Loki said, rolling his eyes. “We do not have many options. Just remain here and wait for my return.”

Darcy crossed her arms. “No,” she said stubbornly.

Loki pressed his lips together in annoyance. “I do not have the time or patience to argue with you. If I put a sleeping spell on you, would you be content to dreamwalk with me?”

She blinked, surprised at his swift capitulation. “Uh, yeah, that will work.”

Loki pulled a thread loose from the hem of his shirt and tied it around her first and second fingers on her right hand. He touched the knot and the thread buzzed with magic. “When you can no longer see me on the horizon, untie this,” he instructed. “It will send you to sleep and you can dreamwalk alongside me.”

“Okay,” Darcy said. Loki nodded and remained where he was for a moment, standing in front of her, her hand held in both of his. Then he slowly released her hand and stepped backwards before turning away. “Loki,” Darcy called after him. He turned to look at her questioningly. “I’ll see you soon,” Darcy said, but that wasn’t what she had been planning on saying. He nodded again and walked away.

The trolls talked excitedly to each other but Darcy ignored them. They settled in to wait, ripping up trees to make room for themselves. Darcy found a tree that they didn’t seem interested in uprooting and sat down underneath it, drawing her knees up to her chest.

She watched Loki get smaller and smaller as he walked, until finally he vanished from her sight. With a sigh of relief, Darcy pulled the end of the string on her fingers, undoing the knot. A wave of exhaustion swept over her, and she leaned back against the tree, her chin dropping to her chest.

She found Loki easily enough. The bond between them made locating him almost effortless. She landed behind him and stumbled forward before regaining her balance. He turned to see her. “There,” he said. “Satisfied?”

Darcy straightened her tunic. “I’m good,” she said. “Did they tell you where in the cliffs their home was located? Because that cliff face has gone on for miles.”

Loki gestured ahead of them. “It’s not far. A few hours, perhaps. We should be there by nightfall.”

Darcy looked the direction he pointed. “How come you didn’t just teleport us away from the trolls?” she asked.

He sighed. “Because I can only transport myself over short distances, to places I can see or are familiar with. I could not have taken us both far enough away that we would have been free of them. They would have caught us again, and would not have been in a more generous mood.”

“But you were willing to send me away and stay behind,” Darcy said, staring at him with her mouth turned down.

He frowned back at her. “I told you, Darcy. I am your lagsmaðr. It is my duty.”

“No. I want you to make me a promise,” Darcy said. “I want you to promise me that you won’t get yourself killed trying to protect me.”

“Darcy, the very nature of a lagsmaðr is to preserve the life of the norn at all costs,” Loki told her impatiently. “To make such a promise would be impractical.”

She crossed her arms. “I don’t want anyone dying because of me,” she insisted. “I don’t want _you_ dying because of me.”

“Since when is my wellbeing such great concern to you?” Loki snapped.

“You’ve _always_ been a concern to me,” Darcy snapped back. “I saved your _life_ , Loki. And I mean for it to stay that way.”

He growled and started walking again. Darcy ran to catch up with him and grabbed his arm to pull him around to face her. “Why are you so determined to sacrifice yourself to protect me?” she demanded. “Since when do _you_ care that much about _anyone_?”

He stared at her for a long time, his narrow face completely void of emotion. “If you have not realized the truth by now,” he said softly, “Then there is no more I can tell you.” With that he turned and started walking once more, leaving Darcy staring after him in shock.

XxxXxxX

Loki’s estimation was correct, and they reached the location the trolls had given them shortly before nightfall. A wide staircase had been hacked into the side of the cliff face, crossing back and forth to a series of stepped terraces that lead to giant archways in the stone surface. Darcy shaded her eyes as she leaned back to examine the troll village.

“Looks homey,” she said. “What enchantment were they talking about?”

“We are too far away to sense anything, yet,” Loki replied tightly, and eyed the cliff as if gaging distances.

This was the first time they’d spoken since they left the trolls, the silence stretching past awkward to almost hostile. But if Loki was pretending their last conversation hadn’t happened, well, two could play that game.

“Come here,” Loki ordered, holding his arm out to her.

“Are we gonna teleport again?” Darcy asked dubiously.

“Unless you _want_ to climb those stairs on foot,” Loki retorted. Darcy eyed the stairs in question. They had been made with troll dimensions in mind, and were not suited for a human. She sighed and walked over to him. He seemed as reluctant to touch her as she was to be touched, but he held her firmly against him as his magic enveloped them.

Darcy’s ears popped at the sudden change in altitude, and she felt a brief wave of motion-sickness that quickly passed. They were standing on the terrace closest to the cliff wall, one of the archways yawning cavernously behind them. Cool air wafted out of the entrance, blowing the loose strands of Darcy’s hair across her face.

A dark, oily feeling emanated from the tunnel, causing Darcy’s skin to crawl. It felt like apprehension, like anxiety, that at any moment something terrible was going to happen. She wanted to claw the feeling from her skin, and she wanted to get as far away from it as possible.

“Ah,” Loki said. “ _That_ enchantment.”

“I see why the trolls jumped ship,” Darcy said, wrinkling her nose. “Whatever that is, it’s strong, and it _sucks_.”

“It is effective,” Loki agreed. “I should be able to counteract it, though.” He summoned what looked like a grease pencil from his pocket dimension and turned to her. “Undo the laces of your tunic.”

Darcy raised her eyebrows at him. He gritted his teeth. “Must you turn everything into a conflict?” he snapped. Darcy narrowed her eyes at him and undid the laces at the throat of her tunic. He reached over and pulled the fabric aside. Then he carefully drew a row of sigils on her skin, just below her collarbone.

When he was done he pressed his fingertips against her skin briefly, and after the buzz of magic had faded, the oily, clingy feeling of doom evaporated. Darcy quickly laced her tunic back up again. “Thanks,” she said shortly.

Loki returned the pencil to his pocket dimension. “Stay close behind me,” he told her. “There is no telling what we will find inside.”

“Awesome,” Darcy muttered. She noticed that he didn’t bother to ward himself as he started walking into the tunnel, but she followed close on his heels.

The light from the entryway was quickly swallowed up by darkness. Loki muttered a word under his breath and a green-gold light flared into existence, a bright orb hovering a few feet above and in front of him. It bobbed along ahead of them as they ventured deeper.

“Dude, it’s like the Mines of Moria in here,” Darcy said as they entered a massive chamber supported by a grid of pillars. There was evidence that the place had been abandoned in a hurry, damaged furniture and scattered belongings strewn along the floor. Darcy’s voice echoed ominously through the cavern, and Loki turned to glare at her, making a sharp gesture for her to be silent. She made a face at him.

They crossed the cavernous chamber and entered a side passage. It was still quite massive in comparison to the Asgardian and the Human, as it had been sized for trolls, so despite being dark and underground, Darcy didn’t feel claustrophobic.

“Where are we going?” Darcy asked Loki after they had walked in silence for several minutes.

“To the source of the enchantment,” he replied tersely. “Now be silent. We may not be alone in here.”

“That’s good to know,” Darcy said, eying the darkness behind them with apprehension. She jumped at every rustle or noise that they didn’t make themselves and she found herself almost wishing she hadn’t insisted on coming.

Almost.

It was hard to keep track of time in the darkness of the caves, but it felt like forever before Loki led her through a final archway. This time they emerged into a natural cavern, untouched by artificial means. The floor beneath them was rough and unpolished, and ended halfway into the chamber, a chasm yawning with darkness.

The walls and ceiling of the cavern were covered in clusters of cloudy crystals that refracted Loki’s magical light into a thousand shimmering, green-gold sparkles, nearly dazzling Darcy into blindness. When her eyes adjusted, she looked around in amazement.

“It’s amazing!” she exclaimed, and then winced when her voice echoed repeatedly, bouncing back and forth among the crystals.

“There,” Loki said in a voice barely above a whisper, and pointed. At the edge of the chasm sat a squat, stone altar, carved with primitive runes and set with various objects: a large pottery cup, the skull of some kind of animal, half-melted candles, and a stone knife.

As they approached the altar, something whispered a warning in the back of Darcy’s head. She felt as if they were being watched. She looked around the chamber, which was well-lit by Loki’s were-light, but saw nothing alarming.

Loki carefully examined the altar, touching nothing. He crouched to read the runes carved into the stone. Darcy watched him work for a few minutes before her impatience go the best of her.

“Is that stuff really needed for magic?” she asked, gesturing at the accoutrements on the altar. “I mean, you can just wave your hand or say a word.”

“It depends on the user,” Loki replied. “For some, the seidr flows through their veins like their very blood, and wielding it is as natural as breathing. For others, they need the ritual to focus their energies.”

“So the ritual itself doesn’t matter?” Darcy asked. “It’s like Dumbo’s feather? It works because they believe it will?”

“Precisely,” Loki said, getting to his feet. “Although feathers are generally only used in wind and weather magics.”

Darcy snorted, hiding her grin behind her hand. “That’s not what I--”

A dark shape swooped down from above them with the flap of leathery wings. Darcy saw a flash of talons and three long, bloody slashes appeared in the back of Loki’s shoulder. He stumbled forward with a startled grunt, and the thing--whatever it was--was already flitting back toward the ceiling.

The whole thing had only taken a second, maybe two. “Loki!” Darcy cried out, lunging toward him. He turned around, raising a hand to stop her. He scanned the ceiling, eyes darting back and forth. Darcy craned her head back, frantically trying to locate the creature. She saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eyes and flinched.

Loki flung out his hand, and two darts of concentrated green light flashed out, piercing the creature’s body. It shrieked and tumbled out of the air, landing on the floor of the cavern with a wet thud. Darcy and Loki both moved closer to inspect it.

It was the size of a condor, but shaped more or less like a bat. It had an ugly, naked face covered in rubber, black skin and massive, shell-like ears. It had no eyes, just skin-covered bulges where they should have been, and a slack, lipless mouth filled with needle-like teeth.

“That’s totally disgusting,” Darcy said, grimacing and backing away from the creature. Loki toed it a couple of times, ensuring it was dead, and then turned away. “Oh, my god. Your shoulder,” Darcy said, moving towards him. He waved her off.

“It will heal,” he told her dismissively. “We need to end the enchantment and leave this place.”

“No arguments here,” Darcy said. Loki moved towards the altar again. This time he began to touch each item, lightly resting his fingers against them with a pensive expression. “Can’t you just smash it and be done?” she asked impatiently.

Loki shot her a quelling look. “I told you, the objects themselves hold no power in themselves. They can merely tell me what enchantment was used, and perhaps how to unravel it.”

Darcy gestured. “Work faster, please. I want to get out of here.” He huffed at her and turned back to his task.

They only had a split-second warning before a dozen more of the bat-creatures descended on them, wings whirring and claws flashing. Darcy summoned her staves on instinct and managed to smash one out of midair, sending it crashing to the ground. A second one slashed at her arm. She felt the pressure of it, felt it bruise her skin, but there was no worse injury. That made her bold, and Darcy went after the little monsters with a vengeance.

It took her only a few seconds to notice that most of them were going after Loki. He was holding them off with the energy-darts, but each time one would fall, another would appear. Darcy waded into the mess to help him beat them off, but her mind raced even as she struck out at the creatures.

 _Bats. Bats live in caves. Dark. No eyes. Attacking Loki. Loki. Light. Loki’s light_.

“It’s the light!” Darcy yelled at Loki. “They don’t like the light!”

Loki gave her a startled look and then barked out a word she didn’t recognize. The were-light vanished, plunging the chamber in darkness. Darcy could hear the leathery flap of the creatures’ wings around them, and then the sound faded, leaving them in ringing silence.

There was a quiet footstep, a rustle of fabric, and then Loki’s cool hand touched her cheek. She flinched involuntarily, but he didn’t pull his hand away. Instead, he cradled her face in his hands, thumbs resting on her eyelids. Her skin tingled with magic where he touched her, and then he pulled his hands away.

Darcy blinked a few times, and then realized she could see. Everything was in shades of black and gray, but she could see as easily as she had when the chamber was lit with Loki’s were-light. “Holy cow,” she whispered, looking around. “Night-vision spell. Nifty.”

“Creating a light is easier,” Loki replied, also in a whisper. “It requires less energy to maintain.” For a third time, he approached the altar and this time, finally, he was uninterrupted. Darcy hung back, scanning the ceiling for any more of the bat-creatures.

She heard Loki muttering to himself under his breath, and he ran his hands back and forth over the altar as if untangling a giant knot of invisible thread. With a final flourish, he stepped back, and there was a flash of red-black energy. The ground shook beneath their feet and the crystals rang with the vibration.

There was a deafening flurry of wings, and a host of the bat-creatures fled out through the archway. Darcy and Loki froze where they were, staring apprehensively after them. It was silent for several long, panicky seconds, and then there was a drawn-out cracking sound.

“What the hell?” Darcy demanded, and glanced up. A huge section of the crystal ceiling had broken free and was plummeting towards her. She froze in place, eyes widening in shock.

“Darcy, _run_!” Loki yelled at her, his voice booming. The sound of it broke through and she bolted toward the archway. Before she reached it though, she was knocked off her feet by a crushing weight, and she was swallowed by darkness.

Darcy woke with a jerk and a gasp, lunging away from the tree. Her heart hammered in her chest, her breath harsh in her throat. She was sitting in the grass by the river. The trolls crouched around her, talking in their gravelly voices. The stars twinkled bright overhead, and the river rushed along its way, unmoved by Darcy’s ordeal.

“Fuck,” she whispered, reaching up to clutch her head in her hands. “Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. Loki. Oh, my god.” She climbed to her feet and paced back and forth, wringing her hands together. She had no idea if Loki made it out of the cavern, and there was no way she would be able to relax enough to dreamwalk to him again. She had no idea if he was alive or dead.

“No,” she said to herself. He wasn’t dead. If he was, she was sure she would have _felt_ it, felt their bond sever. She took a few deep, calming breaths, and let herself fall into the norn-trance. Normally this only worked on Earth, but she was hoping that with their connection, she could get it to work here.

She stretched out her senses towards the troll caves, desperately seeking out a familiar presence. Her knees went weak with relief when she found it, found his heartbeat pulsing strong and fast. She surfaced from the trance and sat down hard, tears starting in her eyes. She hastily wiped them away.

She had no idea how long it would take Loki to get out of the caves, and it had been a three-hour walk from her current location to the caves themselves, so she knew it would be some time before Loki returned. She had no choice but to wait. She crawled back over to the tree and rested her back against it, drawing her knees protectively to her chest.

It was going to be a long night.

The sun was just beginning to rise when the trolls started to talk excitedly, lumbering to their feet and gesturing in the direction of their caves. Darcy was on her feet in a flash and ran forward a few steps to get a better look.

A black-clad figure was striding through the grass towards them, unmistakably Loki. A wave of relief washed over Darcy and she closed her eyes, sending up a brief prayer of thankfulness. She waited for him to get closer, hands clenched at her sides. As he approached, she could see his eyes fixed on her, his expression almost predatory. When he reached them, he ignored the trolls and went straight for Darcy.

“Are you okay?” she asked, but then he reached her and she never bothered about getting a reply. One arm looped around her waist, drawing her flush against his body. The other tangled in her hair, tilting it back, and then his mouth was on hers, ungentle and demanding. Darcy’s first instinct was to pull away in surprise, but he refused to let her go. So she did the only other thing she could do.

Time slowed to a crawl, and Darcy’s brain sped on. Her biggest thought was _what the hell?!_ and her next was _holy shit!_ Part of her wanted to pull herself free, and part of her… didn’t.

The last time Loki had kissed her, he’d been a prisoner, barely more than a stranger, with nothing between them but a business transaction. But now? He was her lagsmaðr, bonded to her for the rest of their natural lifetimes, and ostensibly one of the good guys.

Yes, he’d done some pretty awful stuff, but he’d technically been tortured and coerced, and he’d also done some pretty good stuff, too.

No, he wasn’t anywhere in the realm of stable, or safe, or even probably _sane_ , but she knew the way a norn _knew_ that he would never hurt her.

So what, exactly, was holding her back?

Time snapped back into place and Darcy reached up to hook her arms around his neck, opening her mouth under his kiss. He sucked her lower lip between his teeth and bit down hard enough to hurt, and then soothed it with his tongue.

He wasn’t tender, or gentle, and she didn’t ask him to be. She could feel the tremors in his hands at her waist and the back of her head, and she could taste his desperation on his tongue. He’d been _scared_ , that she’d been injured, or killed.

His nose bumped against hers and their teeth clashed. His breath felt and tasted cool but she was pretty sure hers was horrid. He didn’t seem to care, though, and he slipped his tongue past her lips, taking complete possession of her mouth.

At some point Darcy forgot to breathe, forgot that air existed, forgot anything except the taste and feel of him. Her world was shrunk down to just them two, just this moment. She could _feel_ him in her head and in her soul, the bond closing tighter around them. Her brain lit up with sensation, his chapped lips, his fingers twisted in her hair, his heartbeat felt through their chests pressed together.

It made her skin tingle and her body sang with it, the _intimacy_ . She felt it in her soul; this was _right_ , this was _good._ And it was as if all the tension from the last few months drained away, leaving only relief in its place.

It was Loki who ended the kiss, pressing his forehead against hers, his breath harsh. She wondered for a split second why her lungs hurt, and then she remembered to start breathing again. For a moment they stood there, clinging to each other, sharing panted breaths.

“Holy shit,” Darcy managed. “If that’s what _kissing_ is like, imagine the sex!”

Loki laughed, strangled and immediately cut off. “You are the most frustrating creature,” he whispered.

She grinned. “You say that a lot.”

“You deserve to be reminded.” He kissed her again, unsatisfactorily chaste and disappointingly brief. “I need to settle out business with the trolls. Can you wait here?”

“I think it’ll be a few more minutes before my legs start working again,” she told him. He laughed again, and then pulled reluctantly away, turning to walk toward the trolls. Darcy kept her eyes fixed on him, almost afraid that if she looked away, if she lost sight of him, then it would have just been a dream, that it would have never happened.

Loki’s conversation with the trolls was thankfully brief, and Darcy never found out what he did or said that made them believe he had accomplished their task. Then he turned and walked back towards her. She thought he was going to kiss her again, but instead he gently took her arm and led her away from the trolls, once more heading northeast.

“Is that it?” she asked in surprise. “Just like that?”

“Yes,” Loki replied. “We need to get as far away from here as possible before I lose consciousness.”

“ _What_?” Darcy demanded. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“I am still recovering from nearly being killed, I have expended an unhealthy amount of magic, and I have not slept in two days,” Loki told her. “I am not going to be able to remain on my feet for much longer. But if I show any weakness at all in front of the trolls, they will have no compunction against killing and eating us.”

“But we helped them!” Darcy protested.

“It is their way,” Loki said simply. “We just need to keep moving for as long as we can.”

Darcy studied his face for a moment. He appeared paler than usual; the dark circles under his eyes had returned. She hadn’t noticed it before, but he looked strung-out and haggard. “Okay,” she said quietly.

They walked for over an hour, their pace gradually slowing until they were barely trudging along. Finally Loki ground to a halt, swaying on his feet. He leaned heavily against Darcy, so suddenly that her knees buckled and she carried them both to the grass. Loki didn’t try to move. Darcy laboriously untangled herself from him and sat cross-legged next to him.

After a moment, he dragged himself up to rest his head against her thigh, and curled himself around her. Darcy hesitated, and then stroked her fingertips along his hair. He hummed soundlessly in his throat, eyes drifting shut. Within seconds, his breathing deepened and he was deep asleep.


	28. A Lover On My Left, A Sinner On My Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeaaah, so you remember how back in chapter 15 I changed the rating to M? This chapter is why. Please don't read at work. Unless you have an amazing poker face. I don't. Which is why I did NOT write this at work, but in the safety of my dark apartment.
> 
> So here it is. It took me 150,000 words to get here. Hope it was worth it.

They reached their destination the next day with no other incidents, which Darcy was grateful for, because Loki had clearly pushed himself past his limit,  _ again _ , and she didn’t fail to note that his hands were shaking every time he touched her. He reached out to her every few minutes, as if to reassure himself that she was still there, that she was safe. For someone who claimed to not like being touched, he was awfully clingy.

 

Darcy shaded her eyes and peered up at the cliff face in front of them. It was significantly lower here than it had been where they’d arrived in this realm, probably only seventy or eighty feet. A sprawling house made completely out of reddish stone sat on the very edge of the cliff, sunlight glinting off the glass windows.

 

“Probably has a killer view,” Darcy commented.

 

“Undoubtedly,” Loki replied. He gauged the distance with his eyes before reaching for her.

 

“Do you even have enough energy to teleport us?” Darcy asked, resisting his attempt to draw her to his side.

 

“Do you see another way up?” he retorted.

 

“You’re gonna kill yourself,” Darcy told him, crossing her arms.

 

“Hardly.” He tugged her inexorably towards him, hard enough to yank her off balance. She caught herself against his chest and he looped his arms around her waist. Darcy blinked and looked up at him, suddenly distracted by his closeness.

 

“Hi,” she said, smiling up at him.

 

“You are easily amused,” he said with a smirk, and then the world around them switched. Darcy got that half-second of motion sickness, and then she felt Loki stumble. She grabbed the front of his trench coat to hold him up.

 

“Jesus, Loki,” she said, annoyed. “You are literally going to work yourself to death.”

 

“I will be fine,” he told her impatiently, releasing his hold on her waist. He reached up to cover her hands with his and leered at her. “You will find I have an impressive amount of stamina.”

 

“ _ Jesus _ ,” Darcy breathed, feeling heat flush her face.

 

He smirked at her again. “If you have forgotten my name, I can have you practice it later.”

 

She shoved him away from her. “ _ Loki _ ! Seriously!”

 

He laughed at her. She liked it when he laughed. It almost sounded carefree, normal. She had to listen very closely to hear the bitter edge of it. She jabbed a finger at him. “You… you are trouble,” she accused.

 

“God of Mischief, my dear norn,” he reminded her. She shook her head and circled around him to head towards the door of the house. It opened as she approached, and Darcy stopped in her tracks.

 

The woman--girl, really--standing in the doorway was not a norn. Darcy knew this because she had no idea who she was. She looked to be in her late teens, with dark skin and dark hair twisted into many slender braids and then tied back at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were a striking hazel, and she was wearing a sleeveless tunic of tan and deep red. Around her neck hung a silver pendant in the shape of a horned moon.

 

For a long moment Darcy and the girl stared at each other, eying the other up and down, and then the girl spoke. “Are you Sigyn?” she asked.

 

“Uh… Yes,” Darcy replied. “Who are you?”

 

“My name is Namka,” the girl replied. “I am the daughter of Helke. We’ve been expecting you.”

 

“Oh,” Darcy said. Of course they were. Loki came to stand beside her, and Darcy startled. “Right, um, this is my lagsmaðr, Loki,” she said, gesturing towards him. Namka nodded regally and then stepped aside, pulling the door open invitingly. Darcy and Loki walked toward the house, Loki allowing her to enter first.

 

It was blissfully cool inside the house, despite the many and large windows. The floor was made of oiled wood and covered with woven rugs of varied colors. The ceiling was held up by wooden beams too large to have been from the trees at the base of the cliff, and the walls were covered by smooth, white plaster. It felt like a country hunting lodge, minus the creepy animal heads.

 

“My mother is not here at the moment,” Namka said, shutting the door behind them. “She is attending to business elsewhere in the realm. But I can bring you to the Lady Freya.”

 

“Yes, that’s fine,” Darcy said quickly, looking around the large room. There was a circular table and chairs on one end of the room, a fireplace in the far wall, and a large hand loom on the other end. Namka beckoned them to follow her, and led them down a short hallway off to the side to a smaller room, the walls lined floor-to-ceiling with books. One wall, however, was made completely out of glass, and overlooked the cliff.

 

In front of the massive window sat a wheelchair, and in the wheelchair was the tiny, wizened form of an old woman. Her wispy hair was white and gray, her papery skin pale and spotted with age. Her eyes, however, were bright blue, undimmed by age, and her face, though lined and seamed, was still beautiful.

 

“Freya,” Darcy said as soon as she saw the other norn. She hurried into the room, past Namka, and dropped to her knees beside the wheelchair. “Hello, little sister.”

 

Freya smiled fondly and reached out a bony hand to touch Darcy’s cheek. “Hello, elder sister,” she said. “How fresh you look. Yes, I like this vessel.”

 

Darcy smiled back, covering Freya’s fragile hand with her own. “Thanks. I grew it myself.”

 

The other norn wheezed out a laugh. “Cheeky thing. Come. Who is this handsome lad of yours?”

 

Darcy glanced over at Loki, who had an indignant expression on his face. “Yes, come over here,  _ lad _ ,” Darcy said impudently. “This is my lagsmaðr, Loki.”

 

Freya peered up at Loki as he crossed over to her. “Not the Asgardian’s boy, surely,” she said. Loki stopped in his tracks, his expression darkening.

 

“Odin is  _ not _ my father,” he said in dangerous voice.

 

Freya gave him a quelling look. “Not Odin, fool. Frigga. Or do you deny she is your mother, just because she did not birth you?”

 

Loki blinked in surprise. He did not seem to know how to reply to that. So instead he stood behind Darcy, awkwardly keeping his silence. Freya turned away from him and back to Darcy.

 

“I understand you’ve had an interesting time in our realm,” she said.

 

“You could say that,” Darcy said dryly.

 

“I am sorry that we could not assist you,” Freya told Darcy. “But I am no longer capable of travel, and Namka is far too young to make such a journey alone.”

 

“I am not a child anymore, Aunt Freya,” Namka protested. Freya gave her a stern look.

 

“You are barely into your second century, girl-child. Your powers are not yet come into their full strength.”

 

Namka scoffed and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, looking for a moment like any normal teenager. Darcy bit her lip to keep from laughing. Freya patted Darcy’s hand. “You’ll be wanting to clean up, and to eat, I imagine,” she said.

 

“And sleep in an actual bed,” Darcy added. “Let me tell you, three nights sleeping on the ground is playing havoc on my spine.”

 

“Namka will get you what you need,” Freya said, gesturing towards the girl. Namka straightened, dropping her arms.

 

“Yes, of course,” she said quickly. “Come with me, Aunt Sigyn.”

 

Darcy wrinkled her nose and got her feet. “You can just call me Darcy,” she told the girl. Namka stared at her for a moment, uncertain. “Darcy. That’s my name,” Darcy went on. “I mean, it’s my vessel’s name. That my parents gave me. My  _ vessel’s _ parents.” Namka continued to stare at her blankly. “You know what, never mind. Call me whatever.”

 

Behind her, Loki coughed, sounding suspiciously like he was covering a laugh. She turned to glare at him. He quickly smoothed his features and gave her a blankly innocent look. Darcy made an “I’m watching you” gesture at him, and followed Namka when she left the room.

 

The girl led them back to the large main room and down another hallway. When she opened the door, Darcy could feel a draft of warm, moist air. This room was floored with tiles of gray and black slate, and there was a large, round pool set in the middle of the room, filled with steaming water. Darcy stood a few steps in from the doorway. She could just imagine how glorious the water was going to feel.

 

Namka went to a cupboard against one wall and pulled out two large, fluffy towels, setting them on a wooden shelf by the pool. “I will have clean clothing for you by the time you're finished bathing,” she said, and headed back to the door.

 

She was gone before Darcy roused herself to ask the question that had been bothering her since they entered the bathing room. “Erm… there’s only one bathtub,” she said, looking sidelong at Loki.

 

He looked back at her. “Would you like me to wait outside?” he asked in a neutral voice.

 

She breathed a silent sigh of relief. “Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”

 

He nodded. “I will ask about getting a meal prepared.” With that he left as well, and Darcy took a deep, steadying breath before sitting down on the floor to undo the laces on her boots.

 

Now that they had reached safety, she had plenty of time to think about what had happened over the last few days. After all, it wasn’t often that you fell through anomalies in space and time, got threatened by trolls, and survived cave ins.

 

Oh, and the small matter of kissing Loki. And not just that, she had  _ wanted _ to kiss Loki. She had kissed him  _ back _ . After all her talk about a platonic partnership, and she hadn’t even lasted two days. There was something seriously wrong with her.

 

But seriously, that  _ kiss _ . It had been like nothing she’d ever experienced before, and even while part of her was still asking herself what the hell she was thinking, another part of her wanted to do it again. Multiple times. No one had warned her that the lagsamaðr bond would have  _ that _ effect.

 

Darcy set her boots carefully against the wall and stripped her tunic over her head. That she tossed carelessly to the ground. It was stained with dirt and sweat, and she would happily burn it if it meant getting new clothes. Her pants and underwear followed, and she walked over to the the bathing pool, pulling out the pins still holding her hair up. She stored them in her pocket dimension and scrubbed her fingertips vigorously against her scalp, wincing at the gritty, greasy feel.

 

The hot water  _ did _ feel glorious. There was a bench around the edge of the pool that let her sit, submerged up to her chin, and just let the water work to relax her muscles. She could have fallen asleep if she hadn’t been so hungry. So she reluctantly used the soap she found in a wooden box by the pool and got rid of three day’s worth of dirt.

 

She’d just finished drying her hair and had wrapped one of the towels around her when there was a brisk knock on the door and Namka walked in, holding a folded stack of clothes. “I hope these will fit,” she said. “They belong to my mother. She is about your height.”

 

“Thank you, I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Darcy said quickly.

 

Namka nodded. “Your lagsmaðr is waiting in the kitchen, when you’re ready. There’s food for you.”

 

“Thank you so much for everything,” Darcy said again. “You are a real lifesaver, you have no idea.”

 

Namka smiled. “What else is family for?” She shrugged. “Besides, we don’t get visitors often. It is good to see new faces.” She left Darcy to finish dressing. Darcy found that Namka had provided her with a dark blue and black sleeveless, wrap-around dress that belted with a colorful, woven sash decorated with beads. There was also a pair of leather sandals and a narrow, orange ribbon she couldn’t figure out the purpose for. She eventually just tucked it into her wide sash.

 

She let her wet hair hang, even though she knew it would most likely frizz later. She missed her hairdryer. She missed her iPod, come to think of it. And Jane. She definitely missed Jane. 

 

Namka was nowhere to be seen when she left the bathing room, and she wandered around aimlessly for about ten minutes before she discovered the kitchen. Loki and Namka sat at a square wooden table covered with plates of food.

 

“Did they say where the rival tribe was?” Namka was asking. She had her elbows propped on the table and she leaned toward Loki as if hanging on his every word. “Or how many of them there were? How did they get the magic to make the spell?”

 

“I do not know, and I did not ask,” Loki replied, a bit testily. “My main concern was getting us out of there in one piece.”

 

Namka looked up to see Darcy. “Loki was just telling me about your adventure with the trolls!” she said excitedly. “Were there really  _ four _ of them?”

 

“Yeah, and that was four too many,” Darcy said, plopping down in the chair opposite Loki and reaching for the first thing that looked remotely edible. She paused to look down at the dish, which appeared to be meat and grain with some sort of sauce. “Um… what kind of animal did this meat come from?”

 

“A tekbusa,” Namka replied, giving Darcy a curious look. “Why?”

 

“My religion has strict dietary laws,” Darcy explained. “We can’t eat anything that feeds on carrion, or shellfish, or anything that has split hooves that doesn’t chew a cud.”

 

Namka and Loki both stared blankly at her for a long moment. Darcy glared at Loki until he looked away, a pensive expression on his face.

 

“Tekbusa do not have hooves,” Namka said after a moment. “And they eat grass and leaves.”

 

“Perfect!” Darcy said brightly, and dug into the food. It had a spicy, curry-like flavor without being overwhelming. There were also soft, yeasty rolls with herb-infused oil to dip it in, roasted vegetables, and a thin, smoky broth with dumplings that reminded her of matzo.

 

After he was finished eating, Loki left to take his turn in the bathing room, and Namka plied Darcy with questions about their time on Rhia, and then of Asgard and Earth. She was a bright, curious child, clearly eager for news beyond her home. Darcy was happy to answer her questions, until the third time she had to stifle a yawn.

 

“Oh, I am so sorry!” Namka exclaimed, getting to her feet. “Come, let me show you to your room.”

 

The bedroom the girl led Darcy to was straight out of a five star bed and breakfast dream vacation. It had massive windows overlooking the river, soft rugs underfoot, and a bed that put California king size to shame. On the other side of a wooden dressing screen there was a desk, a breakfast nook, and a cluster of low bench-like couches.

 

“There are nightclothes in the wardrobe,” Namka said, pointing across the room. “Shall I pull the curtains for you?” Before Darcy could reply, the girl crossed over to the window and untied the drapes, blocking out the light from the setting sun. For a split second, the room was plunged in darkness, and then a soft, white light grew into existence from panels on the walls that Darcy hadn’t noticed earlier.

 

“Sleep well, Aunt Sigyn,” Namka said. “I look forward to speaking with you in the morning.”

 

“You, too, Namka. Again, thanks for everything. You’ve been wonderful.”

 

Namka bowed. “It’s my pleasure, Aunt Sigyn.”

 

Darcy poked through the wardrobe once Namka was gone and found a nightgown that looked like it would fit. Once she’d changed, she wandered around the room, poking the wall in random places until she found the panel that lowered the lights.

 

The door opened and she jumped, spinning around. Loki stood in the doorway, one hand on the doorknob. “I am sorry,” he said quickly. “Namka told me-- I thought--”

 

“Come on in,” Darcy said, waving him in. “Namka thought what everyone thought, and sent you to my room. Chill, Loki. It’s cool.”

 

He hesitated a moment, and then he stepped fully into the room. “I do not wish to presume.”

 

“Are you kidding?” Darcy asked. “Have you seen the bed? If you don’t go in there with a buddy, you could get lost.”

 

Loki stopped again, shifting his weight. Darcy saw that he was wearing a simple tunic that just so happened to be olive green (seriously, what was with him and green?) and loose-fitting pants. His feet were bare. His hair was still wet and was loose around his shoulders. She tilted her head and wondered if he would let her cut it. Really, it was starting to get out of control.

 

“You are staring,” he said after a moment.

 

Darcy blinked. “So are you,” she pointed out. His eyes slowly traveled down her entire body and then back up to her face.

 

“Yes,” he said with a faint smirk.

 

Darcy pointed towards the bed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted, and I want to sleep. And, seeing as I’m assuming the whole ‘can’t sleep without my lagsmaðr’ thing is still in effect, that means you, too.”

 

He looked from her to the bed and back. “Are you certain?” he asked.

 

Darcy frowned at him. “Loki, you are so tired you can barely stand. You should not be arguing. Just get in the bed already.”

 

He pressed his lips together and did as she said, pulling back the blankets and sliding in. Darcy lowered the lights and walked over to the other side of the bed. When she crawled in and immediately cuddled up to his side, he stiffened with surprise.

 

She settled her head on his shoulder and poked him in the chest. “ _ Relax _ ,” she said. “I don’t bite. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.”

 

“Darcy…”

 

She sighed and pushed herself up into a sitting position. “Look, okay. We kissed. It was amazing, and I kinda want to do it again.” She poked his chest again. “And I don’t know why you’re being all weird. It was  _ you _ who kissed  _ me _ . For the second time, I might add.”

 

“You did not react very favorably the first time,” Loki reminded her sourly.

 

“I was confused, and I didn’t know what I wanted,” Darcy replied.

 

A deep furrow appeared between his dark brows. “And now? Do you know what you want?” he asked softly.

 

Darcy wrinkled her nose. “No.  _ Yes _ . I don’t know. My point is,  _ this _ , whatever  _ this  _ is,” she gestured between them. “I’m willing to explore it. If you are. If the only reason you kissed me  _ wasn’t  _ out of some kind of ‘oh thank god we’re not dead’ sort of thing.”

 

He tilted his head at her. “You do this quite often, you know,” he said.

 

“Do what?”

 

“Change your mind,” he told her. “You say one thing but do another. It makes it difficult to know what you truly feel.”

 

“Yeah,” Darcy said with a rueful grimace. “I do that. Sorry. It’s just…” She looked away and then back at him. “You scared me a little, you know that, right?”

 

He moved his arm enough that he could close his hand lightly around her wrist. “Did I?” he asked in a low voice. “Are you frightened now?”

 

She shook her head. “Not anymore. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save me.  _ Not _ that I am giving you permission to do so, but it kinda clears up a lot of the hangups I was having.” She poked his chest again with her free hand. “But you have to admit, I had some good reasons to be hesitant.”

 

He stared at her, his eyes appearing wide and dark in the dim light. “You still chose me as your lagsmaðr, knowing what I have done,” he reminded her.

 

“Because my instinct was telling me it was the right thing to do,” Darcy told him, leaving her hand where it rested on his chest. “Because when I spoke the words of Fate over you, I believe they meant something.”

 

She saw his expression darken and his hand tightened on her wrist. His skin was very cold, almost icy. “Yes, of course,” he spat, suddenly angry. “Because who else would see promise in the Trickster, the Liesmith, and the Father of Monsters?”

 

He let go of her wrist and turned away, moving to get up, but Darcy grabbed his shoulder. “Loki, wait,” she said quickly. He tried to pull away from her and she fisted her hand in his shirt. “ _ Loki _ .” She hadn’t used the norn-voice, because she had  _ promised _ , but he still paused, his back to her.

 

“There were more words,” she said quietly. He remained where he was, shoulders hunched and head down.

 

“What?” he finally asked, his voice rough.

 

“There were more words,” she said again, louder this time. “That person you were before,  _ he _ was the Trickster. You don’t have to be him anymore.”

 

There was another long silence, and then he asked, “What were the other words?”

 

Darcy licked her lips. “I said you would be the Silvertongue, the Negotiator, and the Raven-born,” she told him. His breath caught and he went very still under her hand. She slowly released her hold on his shirt, and he made no effort to move or to leave.

 

“I did not know it was you who spoke over me,” he said at length.

 

She scrunched her mouth to the side. “Well, I  _ was _ the one who saved your life when you were born,” she replied. He twisted to look at her.

 

“Raven-born,” he said. “You are certain that is what you called me?”

 

“Yeah, why?” she asked, brow furrowing. His gaze drifted away from hers, suddenly pensive.

 

“The ravens are the Allfather’s messengers. They carry his word, trustworthy beyond a shadow of a doubt. To be Raven-born is to be…”

 

“Trusted,” Darcy finished for him. He nodded mutely. She touched his hand where it was braced against the bed, and he looked at her again. “Please. Can we… can we sleep? I’m tired, and I  _ know _ you’re tired.”

 

He stared at her for a long time. “If I were to kiss you, now, what would you do?” he asked in a low, husky voice. Darcy felt heat flood her stomach.

 

“Probably not want to sleep anymore,” she said, licking her lips. His eyes dropped down to stare at them, and Darcy really,  _ really _ wanted him to kiss her. She shook her head, taking a deep breath. “Seriously, though. We  _ need _ to get some sleep. This can wait until the morning.”

 

“Is that a promise?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Yes,” Darcy said firmly.

 

He laid back down again, and when Darcy settled against his side, her head once more pillowed on his shoulder, he curled his arm protectively around her. His body was several degrees cooler than hers, but with all the blankets on the bed it was pleasant. He rested his cheek against the top of her head.

 

She fell asleep to the sound of his breathing.

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy woke up to the slam of a door and a burst of icy air. She jolted upright, instinctively reaching for Loki, and he wasn’t there. She had a moment of panic before she recognized where she was. Wyrd’s home, on Niflheim. She was dreamwalking.

 

She was lying on a couch in front of the fireplace, and on the other side of the room, by the front door, stood a figure entirely swathed in furs, pulling a fabric sled piled with firewood. The figure raised a mittened hand to unwind the scarf around its face.

 

“Hello, little sister,” Wyrd greeted with a beaming smile. “I thought you would sleep all day!”

 

Darcy wiped a hand down her face. “Well, if you’d had the week I’ve had, then you wouldn’t blame me.”

 

“Ah yes,” Wyrd said, pulling off layers of fur. “Still dealing with your dying disgraced princeling?”

 

“He’s not dying anymore, and don’t pretend like Skaði hasn’t told the whole damn Sisterhood that he’s my lagsmaðr now,” Darcy muttered.

 

Wyrd laughed at her, and finally struggled free of her wrappings. She walked over to the couch Darcy was sitting on. “Budge over, little sister.” Darcy obligingly moved over. Wyrd sat next to her and caught the hem of Darcy’s nightgown in her fingers. “Where are you, Sigyn? I would swear that’s Helke’s embroidery.”

 

“It probably is, we’re at her house,” Darcy told her. 

 

Wyrd raised her eyebrows. “And how did you come to be there?” she asked.

 

“Loki and I fell through a hole in space. There were trolls, and bat-monsters, but we’re okay now.”

 

“Then perhaps your sleep was more warranted than I thought,” Wyrd said, letting go of Darcy’s clothing. Darcy drew her knees up to her chest.

 

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked. “I know that you’re not supposed to help me regain my memories or anything, but something’s happened and I… I could really use some advice.”

 

“Well, there’s no harm in asking, Sigyn,” Wyrd said, settling back and lacing her hands over her stomach. “If I can’t answer you, then I’ll tell you. Ask away.”

 

Darcy hesitated and rested her chin on her knees. “The lagsmaðr bond,” she said after a moment. “Does it… change things?”

 

“Ah,” Wyrd said knowingly. “You feel it, don’t you?”

 

“Feel what?” Darcy asked defensively.

 

“The bond is strong, at first. In time we are meant to temper it, but you are so young in your vessel I doubt you have the skill,” Wyrd told her.

 

“To… temper it?” Darcy asked. She clutched her legs closer to her chest, curling her toes under. Despite the frigid temperatures outside, it was warm enough inside Wyrd’s home that Darcy was comfortable in just her nightgown.

 

“You feel a strong connection to your lagsmaðr, do you not?” Wyrd asked. “An attraction?”

 

Darcy hesitated. “Attraction could be one word for it,” she admitted.

 

Wyrd laughed again. “You’ve bonded him, and now you wish to bed him, yes?”

 

“ _ Jesus _ ,” Darcy muttered, hiding her flaming face against her knees. “You’re worse than my grandmother!”

 

Wyrd patted her back. “I am worse than everyone’s grandmother,” she said, amused. “But that is a perfectly natural feeling, little sister.”

 

Darcy peeked at the other norn. “It is?” she asked.

 

Wyrd nodded gravely. “Oh, yes. The bond, it binds our body as well as our mind and soul. If there is already an attraction, the bond only intensifies it.”

 

Darcy dropped her knees. “Great. So I’ve basically been whammied with psychic sex pollen.”

 

Wyrd tilted her head at Darcy with a quizzical expression. “Sometimes you say the strangest things, dear Sigyn.”

 

Darcy sighed and rubbed her face again. “Okay. Well, I guess that explains that. I got myself into this mess.”

 

“Why fight it, child?” Wyrd asked. “Does he show a desire for you?”

 

“Yes,” Darcy replied. “I’m pretty sure. No, I’m positive. Yes.”

 

“Then why do you hesitate?”

 

Darcy chewed on her lower lip. “I… I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “I thought it was because he was, you know,  _ evil _ , except he’s  _ not _ . And then I thought it was because he tried to take over Earth, except he  _ didn’t _ . I mean, I’m not saying he’s good, or nice, but…” she trailed off.

 

Wyrd leaned forward and took Darcy’s face in both hands. “Listen to me, child. If this is truly what you desire, there is no reason to hold yourself back,” she said seriously. “Time moves on, even for eternal beings like ourselves. Do not pass up something you will regret later.”

 

Darcy met Wyrd’s gaze for a long time. “Okay,” she said finally. “Yeah. You’re right.”

 

The elder norn leaned forward and kissed Darcy’s forehead with dry lips. “Seize your moments of happiness, child. They will not last forever.”

 

XxxXxxX

 

Darcy woke up unable to move. Normally that would have alarmed her, but every instinct was sending her signals of  _ safe _ , and she was laying on something warm and soft. As she gradually returned to consciousness, she realized she couldn’t move because Loki’s arms were wrapped tight around her waist and his legs were tangled with hers, pinning her in place.

 

She felt him pressed against her back, his breath gentle against her cheek. His body seemed to have absorbed some of her body heat, because he felt warm. She smiled and reached down to touch his arm where it crossed her stomach.

 

“You’re awake,” he murmured in her ear. She nodded. “I have been waiting for you to wake for some time, now.”

 

She laboriously turned herself over so they were face-to-face, his arm still wrapped tightly around her. She could see his face in the dim light, all shadowy angles with deep-set eyes. “And what did you do to amuse yourself while you waited?” she asked, a smile flitting around her mouth.

 

“Do you know you speak in your sleep?” he asked.

 

She nodded. “Yeah. Sometimes. What did I talk about?”

 

He reached up to run his fingers lightly along her arm, raising gooseflesh on her skin. “Me,” he replied, teeth flashing in a light smirk.

 

Darcy refused to blush. “Did I say nice things?” His hand trailing along her skin sent shivers down her spine. Since when had she become so sensitive?

 

“What is sex pollen?”

 

“Oh, god.” Now Darcy did blush, and hid her face in her hands. He chuckled and pulled her hands away, leaning forward to capture her mouth in a sweet, chaste kiss.

 

“It is morning, you know,” he murmured against her lips.

 

She looped her arms around his neck. “I know,” she murmured back.

 

“I believe we have things to… discuss.”

 

Darcy tried to pull him closer, deepen the kiss, but he resisted, keeping only the lightest of contacts. “Or we could, you know,  _ not _ discuss things,” she suggested.

 

He pulled away fully at that to stare down at her, his brow furrowed. “Do you wish me to leave?” he asked, his voice flat.

 

“ _ God _ no,” Darcy said quickly. “I want you to stay. Very much. Like, a lot.” She tightened her hold on him. “I just want to… not talk. Not talk and do other things.” She smiled in what she hoped was a suggestive manner, but her heart was hammering and she was half afraid he would say “no” and leave, anyway.

 

He studied her face for a long time. “You are certain?” he asked softly. “You have made your decision?”

 

She took a deep breath. “Yes. I’ve made my decision,” she said, forcing her voice to be firm, confident.

 

He didn’t hesitate then. He surged forward, mouth covering hers again. She felt him lap at the seam of her lips and she opened them, letting him lick into her mouth. He maneuvered them so that he was braced above her and she reached up to bury her fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth tighter to hers. It was the same as before, the bond flaring into life between them, his presence slotting into place in her head and in her soul.

 

She could have gotten lost in it, the shared breath and the taste of his tongue and the feel of his lips against hers. It could have been enough except that it  _ wasn’t _ and she wanted to fall deeper into the bond, give herself up to it until there was no difference between the two of them.

 

And then his mouth was traveling, pressing kisses to the corner of her lips, to her jaw, the side of her throat. He sucked marks down the line of her collarbone and flicked his tongue against the hollow of her throat. He tugged at the neckline of her nightgown, pulling it down far enough that he could taste the skin at the top of her breast.

 

She was just about to suggest he help her off with it when she felt the now-familiar tingle of magic and it disappeared. “That’s cheating,” she said, fighting back a laugh.

 

“Not in this,” he replied, and closed his mouth over her nipple. 

 

Darcy’s back arched and she gasped, digging her fingernails against his scalp. He laved his tongue over the rosebud tip and then caught it between his teeth. He ran his thumb over her other nipple, callouses catching against the tender skin.

 

He hummed against her skin and Darcy couldn’t help the moan that escaped from her throat. He was  _ really _ talented with his mouth. Darcy’s breaths were already coming in harsh pants. Her skin felt hot and over-sensitive and every touch ignited fire inside her.

 

“Are you just gonna stay there, or are you gonna do something useful?” she panted. He chuckled darkly and his mouth traveled lower in response, gliding over the underside of her breast, pressing a line of kisses down her stomach.

 

She jumped when his hand skated up her thigh and then curled around her hip, pressing her back into the bed. He looked up to meet her eyes with a truly wicked grin, and then he shifted lower, trailing his mouth along her inner thigh from her knee up.

 

“Oh,  _ fuck me _ ,” Darcy gasped, clenching handfuls of the bedsheets.

 

“Patience,” he chided her. “In time. Try not to move.”

 

“Fat chance of th- _ fuck _ !”

 

Loki dragged his tongue over her clit in a long, drawn-out sensation that sent lightning through her body. Her hips tried to buck up off the bed but he easily held her in place as he did it again. Darcy clamped her thighs around his head in retaliation, but he only closed his lips around her clit and sucked. Darcy didn’t have the presence of mind anymore to speak, but her moan was communication enough.

 

Loki was really,  _ really _ talented with his mouth.

 

Her whole body was trembling as he edged her on, his mouth and clever tongue at once gentle and insistent. His thumb rubbed circles against her inner thigh, and she tried to focus on the sensation to ground herself, to draw this out as long as possible. But Loki was in control, and he wanted her to know it, when his tongue moved from her clit to slide inside her, and she could no longer contain the energy building up inside her.

 

She couldn’t focus the seidr as she released it, too caught up in the feeling of his mouth and his tongue and  _ oh god yes _ and she was so close. He held her on the edge for what seemed like an eternity, until finally she came crashing down in a wave of pleasure and warmth that made her gasp for air.

 

He moved back up her body and kissed her mouth. She could taste herself on his lips, the musky richness of it, and it made her shudder in desire more intense than she’d ever known. He trailed his fingers up her ribs and ghosted them over her breasts as she basked in the afterglow.

 

“Was that useful enough?” he asked, their noses bumping together.

 

“Mmmm,” she hummed back, too content to bother replying. He laughed at her and kissed the space between her breasts. When he shifted slightly, she could suddenly feel the hard line of his arousal against her hip, and she realized the desire she felt wasn’t hers alone. He’d also made his own clothes vanish at some point.

 

She took Loki’s face in her hands and brought him up to kiss him again, with teeth and tongue and when she was sure she had his full attention, she rolled her hips against his, a slow, aching friction. She felt his breath stutter in her mouth and his hands, resting on either side of her shoulders, clenched against the sheets.

 

Darcy swirled her tongue languidly through his mouth and rolled her hips again, both teasing and inviting but he did nothing but return the kiss fiercely, their teeth clashing together. She keened high in her throat, eager and insistent but still he made no move. So she decided that maybe it was time for her to take control.

 

She reached down and curled her hand around his cock, stroking lightly down the shaft. He moaned faintly against her mouth and broke off the kiss, his breath turning ragged. She stared up at his face where it hovered over hers, his expression unreadable. She stroked him again, brushing her thumb over the head and he grated out a strangled sound, eyes screwing shut.

 

“What is it?” she whispered. “You want this. I can  _ feel _ it.”

 

He struggled for a moment, unable to reply, and then he opened his eyes again, staring deeply into hers. “Is this what you want?” he asked in an uneven voice. “ _ Truly _ . Do you want  _ this _ ?”

 

_ Do you want  _ me _? _ The question was unspoken but still rang loud between them. Darcy cupped his cheek with her other hand, feathering her fingers across his forehead.

 

“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “Every day. For the rest of my life.”

 

“Careful. That sounds dangerously like a promise,” he said, his voice still shaking.

 

She smiled at him. “Don’t you remember? I already made one.” She wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her hand against his chest until he let her reverse her position and she was atop him, thighs straddling his hips. “I took you as my lagsmaðr and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

 

“You could have done better than me,” he told her.

 

“Never,” she replied. “You’re stuck with me. Forever and ever.”

 

“I think I can live with that,” he said. His hands came to rest on her hips, fingers pressing against the bones there.

 

Darcy raised herself up and used her hand to guide him to her entrance before slowly lowering herself down again. The intensity of the sensation caught her off guard, and she had to stop after just a little. She could feel  _ him _ , feel him in her head and in her chest and in her soul and everywhere inside and around her. She could feel his arousal and his desire and the sensation of being inside  _ her _ . For a moment it was too much for her to contain, too much for her to process and her body locked up, going rigid.

 

She came back to herself with Loki rubbing circles against her hipbones, speaking to her in a low, soft voice. It took a few heartbeats for her to realize what he was saying.

 

“Come back to me, Darcy. It’s alright, you are alright. You are here, with me. I have you. You are alright.”

 

“I’m here,” she gasped, and she pressed her hands to his chest, her head rolling forward. “I’m here.”

 

“It’s alright. If this is too much--”

 

“No,” Darcy said quickly. “It’s fine. I want this. I want this.”

 

He tightened his hold on her hips. “We have all the time you need.”

 

She nodded, not trusting her voice anymore, and she took a slow, deep breath before taking the rest of him in. For a moment she had double vision, seeing  _ him _ below her, lips parted and a hungry expression on his face, and she saw  _ her _ , hair tumbling down her shoulders, eyes wide and pupils dilated. She could feel him inside her and she felt him  _ being _ inside her.

 

“Hands,” she gasped. He held them up obediently, and she laced her fingers with his. Then, ever so carefully, she rolled her hips down against his.

 

She literally saw stars. They exploded behind her eyes in bright flashes of pleasure but also of  _ knowing _ . She could feel every cell of him, every fiber of his being.

 

_ One flesh _ . She didn’t know why it was brought to her mind, but it was true. They were one being, two halves of one soul. His pleasure fed into hers and back into him in an ever-increasing circle. She leaned against his hands and rolled her hips again, pressing him deeper inside her.

 

They didn’t speak again; there was no need to. There were no longer any physical barriers between them. She could hear and feel his mind and he could hear and feel hers. They found a rhythm, a push and pull that felt as natural as a heartbeat.

 

Darcy felt as if they contained the entire universe between them, and that time and space itself bent to their will, eternity stretching out before them.

 

They crested at the same time, the combination of their release only intensifying the experience. Darcy’s brain blanked of all thought except the white-hot pleasure singing along every nerve. They rode it out together, still joined in body and mind and soul until the bond began to fade back to its normal strength, and Darcy blinked awake as if from a trance.

 

She was still astride him, and he was still inside her, and their eyes met. Every muscle in Darcy’s body felt loose except the ones that were sore, but it was a good ache. Loki pushed himself up into a sitting position and curled an arm around her waist, using his other arm to brace himself as he eased her back down on the bed. She whimpered when she felt him leave her, not quite ready to be parted from him.

 

He lay next to her, their faces inches apart, and for a moment they merely watched each other, timing their breaths to be in synch. “Will it always be like that?” Darcy asked in a whisper.

 

“I do not know,” he replied. “But I would be willing to find out.”

  
As it turned out, it was. 


	29. All Our Friends Want Us To Fall In Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand I'm back at nearly twenty-four hours with no sleep. Today is my last double for the week and I am utterly exhausted. I am sorry for any spelling errors but I am literally so tired I can't see straight.
> 
> I love my job, I really do, but law enforcement plays havoc on your sleeping schedule.

Darcy really did have the best intentions. She’d _intended_ to get up, bathe, and seek out Namka to continue last night’s conversation, maybe over a late breakfast. But when she’d tried to leave the bed, Loki had pulled her back down and she discovered he was just as good with his hands as he was with his mouth.

She decided she liked his hands. They were long-fingered and clever, nimble, an artist’s hands. They could alternate between gentle and bruising without notice.

Darcy had finally dragged herself away while her legs still had strength enough to stand, and headed for the bathing room, only for Loki to follow. Which was where they were now, Loki seated on the bench in the pool, Darcy on his lap, one hand tangled in his hair and the other braced on the edge of the pool as she rolled her hips down against his, pressed him deeper inside her.

The bond sang between them, fizzing and popping with pleasure. The dual sensation of their joined arousal took Darcy’s breath away, nearly distracted her from Loki’s mouth on the pulse point under her jaw and his hand on her breast, teasing her nipple.

She had never expected him to be such a gentle, attentive lover. Everything about him screamed “bad boy” and “rough sex.” Yet even when he left bruises on her skin (which he healed as they lay tangled together, spent) the touch of him was tender, worshipful. She felt _valued_ , precious in his hands.

They rode out their climax together, and afterwards Darcy rested her forehead against his shoulder, the heat of the water turning his skin warm. He held her there, arms looped around her waist, just resting.

She sighed. “You have officially ruined all other men for me.”

Loki rumbled deep in his chest. “What makes you think,” he growled, nipping at the side of her throat. “There will be other men?”

“Jealous, much?” she snorted, scraping her fingernails against his scalp.

“ _I_ am your lagsmaðr. Should any man dare to even look upon you, I would rip his eyes out.”

His threat didn’t worry her. She merely hummed contentedly to herself and lifted her head to rest her chin on his shoulder so she could inspect her fingertips. They had gone pruny and wrinkled. “We should probably actually finish bathing,” she said. “And get breakfast. I’m starving.”

He gave her that low, dark chuckle that managed to make her stomach flutter every time. “Have I worked you well enough, then?”

She pushed away from him and whacked his shoulder. “Someone’s sure full of themselves,” she retorted, and then hit his shoulder lightly again. “Help me up. My legs aren’t working properly anymore.”

He laughed again and lifted her up easily by her waist to place her on the bench beside him. They actually managed to finish bathing without any other interruptions, although the way he watched her while she dressed nearly made her legs give out again. By the time they made it to the kitchen, it was almost midday, and Namka was preparing lunch.

Freya sat in front of the kitchen fireplace in her wheelchair, and her blue eyes glittered with laughter when Darcy and Loki entered. “My,” she said in a coy voice. “How _very_ tired you both must have been, to stay so late abed.”

Darcy blushed but still managed to shake her head at the other norn. “What happened to respect your elders?” she asked, circling the table while Loki took a seat.

“It is a younger sister’s right to torment her elders,” Freya replied with a sly grin.

Darcy stuck her tongue out at her sister. “Namka,” she said, deliberate and over-loud. “Do you need any help?”

“Oh, no, I am almost finished,” the girl assured Darcy. “I hope you got enough rest. I have many more questions for you!”

Freya winked at Darcy behind Namka’s back and Darcy made a face at her. “Sure,” she told Namka. “Ask away.”

The conversation between the three women was lively throughout the meal, with Loki strangely silent, only adding an offhand comment here and there. He sat next to Darcy, their thighs pressed together, both of them reluctant to break physical contact.

“My mother will return tomorrow,” Namka said toward the end of the meal. “She will be able to take you home.” The girl sounded wistful, almost disappointed.

“I would love to visit again,” Darcy said quickly. “If that’d be alright. Maybe skip the trolls, next time, though.”

Namka brightened immediately. “Oh, that would be lovely! Can she, Aunt Freya?”

Freya raised her eyebrows. “She’s a norn, dear girl. She will come and go as she pleases. And you needn’t ask my permission. I will not be much longer in this vessel.”

Darcy stilled, lowering her fork. She looked at Freya. “Are you…” she swallowed with difficulty. “Are you dying?”

Freya’s voice was gentle. “Of course not, sister. My time in this vessel is merely coming to an end. Soon I will have a new one.”

“Right,” Darcy said, looking intently at her plate.

Freya reached over to pat Darcy’s hand. “It is hard, when you do not remember everything. I know, sister.”

Darcy looked up and gave her a weak smile. “Yeah. It sucks sometimes.”

“Yes, but to see the universe with new eyes,” Freya said with a sigh. “This is a gift. Treasure it while you can, my dear. It will not last forever.”

XxxXxxX

Darcy requested a pair of trousers and a simple tunic from Namka before seeking Loki out. She found him in the library, leaning against the shelves with a book in his hands. “I want to spar,” she announced. He looked up at her, taking in her clothing and her hair, braided down her back.

“Now?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, now,” Darcy said. “It’s been a while since I practiced, and I don’t want to lose my touch.”

“Very well,” Loki said, closing his book and replacing it on the shelf.

They eventually decided to practice outside, as there were no rooms inside the house with enough space to accommodate them. Darcy kicked at the grass, unsure of how it would interfere, and then summoned her staves. Loki, however, merely summoned his dagger. Darcy eyed the weapon uneasily.

“Uh… what’s going on with that?” she asked. “What happened to your staves?”

“Your enemy is not always going to have the same weapon as you,” Loki replied, dropping into a crouch with his dagger held in a reverse grip. “You will need to be prepared.”

“Yeah, but that thing looks awful pointy,” Darcy said, spinning her staves around the backs of her hands.

“Do you think that I would hurt you?” Loki asked with a smirk. “Good. Then it will motivate you.” He pounced at her, stabbing down with the dagger towards her stomach. She moved on instinct, catching his wrist with one stave and slashing the other toward his ribs. He caught the stave in his free hand before it impacted.

Darcy flung his knife-hand away and cracked her stave down on his knuckles, forcing him to release her other stave. This time he slashed at her face, forcing her to lean backwards out of range. She recovered and returned the favor, swinging one of her staves towards his face with all her strength. He batted it easily aside, not registering any pain when it impacted his palm with a loud slap.

He spun his dagger around into a forward grip and stabbed upwards from his waist, again towards her belly. She swept his arm aside with her stave and made her signature move, a stab towards his ribs. He twisted out of the way at the last minute, slapping her weapon away. Darcy skipped away from him to regroup and squared off with him again.

They went back and forth for another ten or so minutes, coming together for a whirl of lightning-fast moves and breaking apart to circle and, in Darcy’s case, catch her breath. She never got even close to landing a blow on him, but he was also clearly holding back, his blade never nearing her skin.

Then Darcy missed her footing in a patch of uneven ground, and Loki moved in a blur, pinning one arm behind her and spinning her around. He yanked her back against his chest, the point of his dagger coming to rest under her jaw.

“That’s not fair,” Darcy complained.

“You don’t fight fair if you want to _win_ ,” he hissed into her ear. “This isn’t a game, Darcy. It is a battle. If you lose, you die.”

She elbowed him in the ribs and tried to pull away, but the dagger didn’t move from her throat. “Let me go,” she ordered.

“You have no idea what war is like,” he said, his breath ghosting over her cheek. “You have never seen true bloodshed.”

“Loki, let me _go_ ,” she said again, tugging against his hold on her.

“If it came down to a matter of life and death, could you do it?” he asked, tightening his hold on her. “Could you take a life to save your own?”

“ _Loki_!” She hadn’t meant to use the norn-voice, but he was starting to scare her. The tip of the dagger was cold against her sensitive skin, and the angle he held her arm at hurt her shoulder. But at the sharp crack of his name, he loosened his grip, the dagger vanishing from her throat. She tore herself away from him and whirled around.

“What the _hell_ was that?” she spat at him, furious.

He spun the dagger in his hand, making it disappear. “You asked me to teach you to fight,” he said with a careless shrug. “You should have asked me to teach you to _kill_.” With that he turned and stalked away, leaving Darcy to stare after him, her mouth agape.

A tiny, quiet fear settled itself in her chest. She had let herself get swept up in the moment, caught up in the bond and adventure and the romance, and she had forgotten that Loki was still very much _not right_ . He was a killer, even if he wasn’t strictly evil, and he was dealing with some pretty major mental issues. He may be her lagsmaðr, but that didn’t mean he was _safe_.

Darcy sat down in the grass, her legs suddenly weak. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

She avoided Loki for the rest of the day. It was surprisingly easy, and she suspected he was avoiding her, too. She needed the reminder to be cautious, to keep one eye open. She didn’t regret making Loki her lagsmaðr, but she had to remember that he wasn’t trustworthy, not yet. He still had a long way to go to prove himself.

She still hadn’t seen him when she got ready for bed and pulled the curtains over the massive window in her bedroom.

“I frightened you.”

Darcy jumped and whirled around, eschewing her staves and summoning a more aggressive weapon to her hand; her taser. She pointed it with shaking hands and it took a moment for her heart to stop racing.

 _“Jesus,_ Loki,” she breathed. “What the fuck?”

He stood in the doorway, the door closed behind him, hands clasped behind his back. He was wearing clothes she recognized as Asgardian, in muted shades of green and black. He watched her with a thoughtful expression, mouth pressed into a thin line.

“Before,” he said. “I frightened you.”

“You held a knife to my throat,” she snapped, dismissing the taser back to her pocket dimension. “Of course you frightened me.”

“That was not my intention,” he told her. “I only meant to teach a lesson.”

“What, that I still can’t trust you?” Darcy crossed her arms over her chest.

He blinked at that. “You do not trust me?” he asked, almost sounding hurt.

“Trust you?” Darcy echoed in disbelief. “When have you ever given me a reason to trust you?”

His brows drew together. “I have never lied to you, Darcy. I have never tried to hurt you.”

“That’s not good enough!” Darcy burst out. “You can’t use me as your morality pet, Loki. I was there when you tried to kill Thor! I was in New York! I’ve seen the destruction you’ve caused. Just because you’re nice to me doesn’t buy you a pass!”

He rocked backwards, his chin lifting. “You… were in New York?” he asked softly, his eyes growing dark.

Darcy’s shoulders drooped. “Yeah. I dreamwalked in the middle of the attack.”

“I did not know that.” Loki’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“I _want_ to trust you, Loki,” Darcy said sadly. “I really do. But you pull shit like this and you make it hard.”

He lowered his head, gaze dropping to the floor. He was silent for a long moment before looking up again. “The person you desire me to be,” he said stiffly. “That person I cannot be. I have seen too much darkness.”

Darcy shook her head. “I’m not scared of the dark, Loki,” she told him. “I’m scared of looking at you and having no idea of what you’ll do next.”

He took a slow, deep breath. “Do you wish me to leave?” he asked, and she knew he wasn’t just asking about her room. If she said the word, he would leave her life completely.

“No, I don’t,” she told him. “I _want_ you to stay. I want you to _try_ to be the person I need you to be.”

He didn’t say anything, instead only watching her with dark, troubled eyes.

Darcy swallowed. “After you got out of the cell. After Svartalfheim. Why did you come to me? You could have gone anywhere. Why risk coming to me?” She saw his expression change into something almost feral, like a cornered animal. He balanced his weight on the balls of his feet, as if at moment he would flee.

“You know,” he said, the words ripped unwilling from his throat. “After all this, you must know.”

“I want to hear you say it,” Darcy said firmly, raising her chin.

She could see the war played out on his face, and she wondered if he knew how expressive he was, how raw and vulnerable his expression was. He struggled for several long heartbeats, and then he abruptly vanished, teleporting away in a wisp of green energy.

Darcy slumped against the wall, closing her eyes. She really hoped this was not what their relationship was going to be like, because this was not a ride she wanted to stay on. She had known rehabilitating Loki wasn’t going to be easy, but that had been _before_ she had decided to sleep with him. Now it was… complicated.

She rubbed her face with a groan before shuffling over to the bed and crawling in. She knew trying to sleep without Loki nearby would be an exercise in futility, but there was no telling where he had gone and she didn’t feel like tracking him down.

She sighed into the pillow. It was going to be a long night.

XxxXxxX

Darcy woke up slowly, groggy and disoriented. She had a vague memory of tossing and turning for several hours before finding herself in someplace roomy and cold. She must have been dreaming, because she was now safe and warm in bed, a solid, comforting presence at her back.

Darcy came fully awake upon the realization that she wasn’t alone. She recognized her companion immediately, of course. No other presence fitted so perfectly into her mind. And Loki’s claim to not like being touched was officially bullshit.

He clung to her like an octopus, his arms so tight around her waist she couldn’t expand her lungs fully. His legs were wrapped around hers, rendering her effectively immobile. His face was pressed against the back of her neck, his breath cool against her skin.

She could tell by his breathing he was deeply asleep, despite the tension she could feel in his body. It felt as if he was on high alert, that he was afraid at any moment she was going to disappear from his grasp. It would have been endearing if it hadn’t been so frustrating.

He had neither apologized for holding a knife at her throat nor said the words she so desperately needed to hear from him. Darcy knew that she could be flaky, and that she had been the queen of mixed signals early on in their relationship, but she had no interest in riding the emotional roller coaster that this whole situation was promising to be.

She tried to disentangle herself from his embrace but he only clutched onto her tighter, nuzzling his face against her neck with a deep sigh. Darcy exhaled sharply through her nose. Oy vey. She stroked her hand along his arm, reaching out toward the bond between them, giving his mind a faint nudge.

She felt him twitch, and then nothing, so she tried nudging him again, as well as passing along a suggestion. He sighed again and finally released her, allowing her to crawl out of bed and scrounge together some clothes. She chose the trousers from yesterday and a knee-length wrap dress. She found a short jacket to go over the sleeveless dress, as the house was chilly without sunlight to counteract whatever futuristic air conditioning they had going on.

Darcy wandered out of the bedroom, reaching out with her senses to locate the house’s other occupants. She was surprised and pleased to find a new presence. She tracked the new presence to the kitchen.

Namka was sitting at the kitchen table, clutching a steaming cup while she stared intently at the two people sitting across from her. Both of them, like her, were dark skinned, wearing the boldly-printed fabric Darcy had come to recognize as culturally Rhian.

One of the newcomers was male, his head shaved down to stubble and a short beard framing his jaw. He was built along the same lines as Thor, muscles straining the sleeves of his jacket. In contrast the woman was willowy and lithe, with wooly hair pulled into a bun at the back of her head, and around her brow was bound an orange ribbon, decorated by a silver horned moon.

The woman looked up to meet Darcy’s gaze the moment Darcy stepped into the kitchen, her dark brown eyes lighting up with delight. “Sigyn!” she exclaimed, jumping her her feet.

“Helke,” Darcy replied, going to meet her sister. They embraced tightly, Helke’s body vibrating with a quiet laugh.

“Look at you, so young,” Helke said, holding Darcy at arm’s length to look her up and down. Helke’s vessel appeared to be in her mid thirties, but Darcy knew looks could be deceiving.

“Yup,” Darcy said with a lopsided grin. “Only twenty-three. Brand spanking new.”

Helke touched Darcy’s hair, and then her cheek. “None of us have ever taken a mortal vessel before,” she said softly, a hint of wonder in her voice. “How quickly you grow. At twenty-three my Namka was still a babe in my arms.”

“That’s a long time to be changing diapers,” Darcy said.

“Oh, it passes sooner than you think,” Helke said, waving her hand. She hooked her arm through Darcy’s and led her back to the table, where the man rose to his feet and bowed deeply. “This is my lagsmaðr, Ulan,” Helke introduced. “He is Namka’s father.”

“Hi,” Darcy said, extending her hand. “You can call me Darcy. Or Sigyn. Whichever.”

Ulan caught Darcy’s hand and lifted it to press a light kiss to her knuckles. “It is an honor to meet you, Lady Sigyn. My Helke has spoken highly of you many times.” He had a deep, melodious voice that reminded Darcy of Heimdall, and for a moment she dearly missed her old friend.

“It’s okay if she didn’t, you don’t have to lie for her,” Darcy quipped. “I’m her older sister, I’m sure I pulled plenty of crap on her when we were kids.”

Helke laughed. “Ah, yes. You and Skaði were quite the wild ones,” she agreed. “I think there were many times Skuld despaired of you two altogether.”

Darcy’s grin widened. “Glad to hear nothing’s changed, then.”

“Come, sit,” Helke said, tugging Darcy toward the table. “Would you like some tea? Namka tells us you had quite an adventure when you first came to our realm.”

“Yeah,” Darcy agreed. “Do you have a lot of problems with the trolls?”

“They rarely come this far north,” Ulan said, pouring Darcy a cup of tea and offering her a plate of soft, white rolls. There was a dish of butter and another of herb oil. Darcy tore one of the rolls into pieces and dipped them into the oil.

“They wanted Loki to undo some spell a rival tribe and placed on their underground city place,” Darcy told Helke. “There were giant bats. And the ceiling caved in. It was fun.”

“And Loki is your lagsmaðr, yes?” Helke asked. Darcy nodded, mouth full. “Surely not Prince Loki of Asgard,” Helke went on. “I had heard he’d been imprisoned for treason.”

Darcy swallowed. “It’s… complicated,” she said.

Helke laughed again. “It always is.” She patted Darcy’s arm. “But as long as he makes you happy and serves you well, it matters not who he is. My Ulan was a buccaneer in the Southern Seas of this realm.”

Ulan nodded, a fond smile half-hidden by his beard. Darcy stared at him in surprise. “Seriously?” she asked. “You were a pirate?”

“For many years,” Ulan affirmed. “One of the most feared Rhia had ever known.” He said it with quiet pride, and no bitterness for that period of his life being over.

Darcy sat back in her chair. “So… Eydis was an outlaw, you were a pirate, and Loki… Do all the norns bond criminals?”

“The bond is for life,” Helke said, her voice becoming grave. “It is both an honor, and a great burden. It is often offered to those who have no better alternative.”

Darcy rubbed the side of her nose. “Yeah. That was kinda exactly what I was thinking when I bonded Loki,” she admitted.

“Your mind may not remember, but your soul does,” Helke said, nodding.

Darcy turned to Namka. “They way you were going on, you’d think nothing exciting ever happened to you. Your dad’s a freakin’ _pirate_.”

“Not anymore,” Namka complained. “And I have heard all his stories. At least, all the ones he will tell me.”

“I have said many times, daughter mine,” Ulan said with a fond smile. “When you are of age, then I will take you south to the ocean, and teach you my trade. But not until then.”

Namka propped her chin on her hands and sighed loudly. Darcy snorted in amusement. Helke leaned forward and caught Darcy’s eye again.

“I am so happy to see you again after all these years, my sister, but I also understand if you are eager to return to your own realm. When your lagsmaðr wakes, and you have eaten, I will take you through the Ways to Midgard.”

“I would appreciate it,” Darcy said. “We left kinda unexpectedly, and there will be people worried about us. People who have access to scary technology and should not be left unsupervised.”

“But of course!” Helke said. “Who else would be worth of the attention of a norn?”

Darcy decided against making a comment, as she knew from experience that it would fall on deaf ears. Helke started preparations for breakfast, and Namka went to fetch Freya. Loki made his appearance shortly before they were ready to eat, and another round of introductions were made. Loki greeted Helke and Ulan politely, but distantly, and immediately turned his attention to Darcy, trying to gauge her current attitude toward him.

She returned his inquiring look evenly, doing nothing to either encourage or reject him. When he sat next to her, she didn’t protest, or acknowledge him in any way. She had made up her mind to hold out for an apology, no matter how long it would take.

They managed to keep up a lively conversation without Loki’s assistance, and the meal passed pleasantly enough. When they were done, Helke sent Namka to fetch something she called a cartography, and the girl returned with a flat, circular device which she placed on the table.

Helke tapped some command into the surface of the device, and an orb made of sparkling blue motes of light appeared over the the device. After a few seconds it arranged itself into a globe map of Earth.

“Where on Midgard is your home?” Helke asked. “I will try to get you as close as I can.”

Darcy reached out and brushed her fingers against the hologram. It spun lightly under her touch. She figured out how to manipulate it, and then indicated the tiny island of Great Britain. “Here,” she said. “That’s where we’re staying at the moment.”

Helke frowned thoughtfully. “Yes. I can bring you to that island. We will take the Way to Nornheim, and from there to Midgard.”

As it turned out, Helke had a small, open-top airship similar to the Asgardian skúta that was stored in a hidden bay under the house, set in the cliff wall. It was a short jaunt from the house out to the Rhian plains. The Way to Nornheim turned out to be in the middle of a circle of standing stones, an archway of carved, black rock that stood out from the grass and reddish earth like an extraterrestrial.

The trek across Nornheim mostly involved fields of some kind of wheat-like plant and a burbling, pebble-bottomed creek. Helke chattered happily to Darcy while Loki followed, silent and watchful, sharp eyes missing none of Darcy’s body language.

They came to a dark opening in the rich earth, with steps carved in stone, worn from the passage of many feet over the centuries. There were no lanterns to light their way, but Helke assured them the passage was wide and the ground flat. Darcy entered first, and when the darkness swallowed them, she felt Loki’s protective hand on her shoulder. There was the now-familiar sparks of rainbow light, the kaleidoscope flash, and then she was stepping out into gray, pre-dawn light, the ground a springy loam underfoot.

Darcy looked around. They were standing at the base of a craggy hill overlooking a grazing pasture dotted with gray-white sheep. The exit of the Way behind them was a narrow opening between two slabs of gray stone.

“Where are we?” Darcy asked, starting to pick her way down the remainder of the hill. Loki remained where he was, his eyes scanning the horizon.

“We are some distance from the city,” he said, matching her neutral tone.

“Ugh,” Darcy said, wrinkling her nose. She didn’t feel like more walking. Loki joined her in a few long strides, and then gallantly offered her his arm.

“I should be able to transport us directly to the residence,” he told her. “I am familiar enough with it.”

“Oh, sweet,” Darcy said, relieved. She stared at his arm for a moment, and then reached over to hesitantly place her hand on the inside of his elbow. Didn’t he have to be holding her closer for this to work?

Apparently not (which Darcy didn’t fail to note), because the world blinked out around them, to be replaced by a city street and a familiar row of buildings. Darcy stumbled with the brief wave of motion-sickness, and Loki grabbed her wrist to hold her on her feet.

“You missed,” Darcy said, looking down the sidewalk. They were about fifty feet from the front door of the brownstone.

“It was a farther distance than I am accustomed to,” Loki retorted. He didn’t let go of her wrist, and Darcy didn’t pull away. For a moment they stood on the sidewalk, looking at everything except each other.

Darcy looked down and realized she was still wearing the clothes she’d taken from Helke’s house, extremely out of place on the London street. Loki, also, was wearing Asgardian clothes he’d gotten from who knew where.

“Um,” Darcy said, and gestured between them. Loki looked down at her clothing. The tingle of magic flowed from where he held her arm, and her clothes transformed into an exact copy of what she had been wearing the day they’d fallen through the Convergence anomaly. His clothing, however, didn’t change.

“We should probably go see if Jane and Thor are waiting for us,” Darcy said, finally looking up at Loki. “I bet they’re worried.”

“I am sure their concern for your safety is notable,” he said with a sniff. Darcy rolled her eyes at him and started walking. He followed, still not releasing his hold on her arm, and she still didn’t pull away.

When they reached the front door of the brownstone, Darcy tried the handle and found it locked. “I don’t have the keys,” she told Loki. It was his turn to roll his eyes and he touched the door with his free hand. It clicked, and then swung open.

“Jane?” Darcy called as she stepped over the threshold, Loki trailing after her. “Thor? We’re back! Anyone?” The flat rang with silence and Darcy halted in the middle of the living room. Loki finally dropped his hold on her arm.

“Perhaps they are at the Convergence site,” he suggested. “They may still be trying to reopen one of the anomalies.”

“Maybe,” Darcy said with a frown. Loki moved past her into the flat, and then turned around to face her.

“Darcy,” he said gravely. “I realize I have offended you in some way.”

Darcy crossed her arms and gave him a level look. “You think?” she asked challengingly.

“I assure you, I had no intention of harming you,” he insisted. “I only meant to illustrate a point.”

“What point, Loki?” Darcy demanded. “That I am still fragile and breakable?”

“Precisely,” he replied sharply. “You have an alarming tendency to dive headlong into danger. I merely wanted to show you that you still do not have the skill necessary to protect yourself alone.”

“You could have found a different way than holding a knife to my throat,” Darcy retorted. “Do you have any idea how much that freaked me out?”

“Yes,” he said bluntly. “That was my intent.”

Darcy growled and threw her hands up, turning away from him. “You’re impossible,” she muttered. She heard him step toward her.

“Darcy,” he said, but he never got to finish his train of thought, because at that moment, the front door burst inward, and a flood of black-clad figures poured in.

Darcy had time to note that they were in full body armor, carrying massive assault rifles and, in a few cases, grenade launchers. There were dozens of them, spilling into the room and fanning out, all their guns aimed directly at her.

No, not at her. _Behind_ her. At Loki.

She felt Loki grab her wrist and pull her backwards, tight against his chest that was suddenly covered in metal armor. He pinned her arm across her own chest, and she saw the glint of light off his dagger blade in his other hand. He dragged her backwards, away from the men with guns.

And then the men parted and Steve was there. Darcy’s brain blanked. What the hell was Steve doing in London? And why was he in full Captain America uniform? Come to think of it, why were there men with guns in her living room?

Steve wasn’t looking at her, he was looking over her shoulder and above it, straight at Loki. Darcy’s brain finally made the connection.

 _Shit_.

“Let her go, Loki,” Steve growled. “We have the building surrounded. Let her go and lower your weapon.”

“Steve, no!” Darcy cried. “It’s not--It’s not what you think!”

“Silence,” Loki snapped, pulling her tighter against him. “Save your breath.”

“Last chance, Loki,” Steve warned. “Come quietly, and we might all walk away from this.”

Darcy felt Loki lean down, and then his voice in her ear, too low for anyone else to hear. “Think of somewhere safe,” he ordered her. “Picture it, and hold it in your mind.” Darcy screwed her eyes closed as she frantically obeyed. She felt the world blink out around them, and then reappear. She opened her eyes.

She was standing in her childhood bedroom, in her parent’s home in Philadelphia. Loki released her arm and staggered away from her with a grunt. She spun around. He was dressed in full leather and metal armor, missing only the great horned helm. He caught himself against the wall, breathing heavily.

“Are you okay?” she demanded.

“That was a further distance than I anticipated,” he said, his voice shaking slightly.

Darcy groaned and bit down on her knuckles. “Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. That was SHIELD! SHIELD knows you’re on Earth! _Fuck_. They know you’re on Earth and they think you kidnapped me! Oh, god, we are so screwed!”

“How did they find us in the first place?” Loki snapped. “They were clearly watching the residence.”

“I don’t know!” Darcy moaned, gnawing harder on her knuckles. “Jane must have called them when she couldn’t get us back. I don’t _know_. This is bad. This is very, very bad.”

“Darcy, calm down,” Loki said sharply. He walked over and pulled her hand out of her mouth. “You will make yourself bleed.”

“How am I supposed to calm down?” she snapped at him, wrenching her hand out of his grip. “Do you have any idea how _fucked_ we are?”

“Yes, I do have some idea,” Loki told her, annoyed.

Darcy heard footsteps outside the door and they both turned, horrified. The handle turned, and the door swung open. Joanna stood in the doorway, her eyes widening at the sight before her: her daughter, Darcy, inches away from the imposing figure dressed in the instantly-recognizable armor of the destroyer of New York.

“Fuck,” Darcy said again.


	30. You Can Set Yourself On Fire But You're Never Gonna Burn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm a complete dumbass, because after three days of vertigo, hot flashes, and nausea, I finally realize I'm going through caffeine withdrawal. Somehow I managed to not ingest any caffeine for three whole days. What the hell?
> 
> This chapter brings us to 399 pages. Head's up, there will only be two more chapters after this! Hope everyone's geared up for the ending. It's gonna be killer ;-)

For a moment Joanna stared at Darcy and Loki, and they stared back. No one moved. Then Darcy reached out a hand towards her mother.

“Mom,” she said in a soft, gentle voice. “I really need you to not scream.”

Joanna’s grip on the doorknob tightened, her knuckles turning white. “Darcy, are you alright?” she asked in a carefully measured voice.

“I’m fine,” Darcy assured Joanna. “I just really, really need you to not scream.”

“Why--why would I scream?” Joanna asked, her eyes still fixed on Loki.

“Don’t be tiresome,” Loki snapped. “It is obvious you know exactly who I am.”

“Shut up,” Darcy told him sharply. She turned back to her mother. “Where is Dad?”

“He’s downstairs,” Joanna said, her eyes never leaving Loki.

“Okay,” Darcy said, walking over to put her hand on Joanna’s arm. “I’ll explain everything, I promise. Just take a deep breath, okay? We’re safe. Everything is okay.”

“Darcy, why is he here?” Joanna asked in a whisper.

“Because he brought me here,” Darcy replied. “He’s not going to hurt anyone.”

“You shouldn’t make promises you cannot keep,” Loki said angrily. “Why did you bring us _here_?” he demanded of Darcy.

“You told me to think of somewhere safe!” she retorted.

“So you brought us somewhere just as compromising?” he challenged.

“Oh, I’m _so_ sorry that I don’t have secret safe houses stashed across the country,” Darcy said sarcastically.

“Darcy, do I need to call the police?” Joanna whispered to Darcy.

“No,” Darcy said quickly. “Everything is fine, Mom. I told you, he is not going to hurt anyone.”

“I don’t understand, what is going on?” Joanna asked.

“Your daughter is not who you believe she is and she has been lying to you for most of her life,” Loki snapped.

“ _Loki_!” Darcy yelled.

“Well, you were taking too long,” he retorted.

“I swear to god,” she snarled at him. “If you don’t _shut up_ I will order you to jump in front of train!”

“That will not kill me,” he told her.

“No, but it’ll hurt!” she said.

“Darcy,” Joanna said weakly.

Darcy sighed through her teeth. “He’s right, Mom. I’m not--I’m…” she trailed off, unsure of how to even begin to try to explain what was happening. “I… I have abilities,” she finally said. “I can do things that humans can’t do. I’m not, I’m not exactly _human_ , either.”

“Darcy, you’re not making sense,” Joanna said.

“I know,” Darcy said miserably. “It’s confusing, and it’s unbelievable, but I’m not _just_ Darcy, I’m also… more. I’m someone else, too.”

“Your daughter is the reincarnation of a norn, a goddess of Fate and Wisdom,” Loki said briskly. “She has abilities beyond human understanding and because of this we are currently being pursued by SHIELD.”

“I am going to fucking _kill_ you,” Darcy seethed at him.

“I think I was far more succinct and efficient,” he replied stiffly.

“I need to sit down,” Joanna said faintly. Darcy tightened her hold on her mother’s arm.

“Mom, are you okay?” she asked, sending another glare at Loki.

Joanna studied Darcy’s face. “Is he--is that true?”

Darcy nodded slowly. “Yeah. It’s true.”

Joanna leaned heavily against the door frame. “I knew… I always knew you were different,” she whispered. “I just--I can’t--” She shook her head. “No. This isn’t happening. This… this isn’t real.”

“This is precisely why I told you I had no desire to meet your parents,” Loki told Darcy, annoyed.

“You know, sometimes things happen that aren’t about you!” she yelled at him. “Jesus fucking Christ, Loki! Stop being a complete _dickhead_.”

Joanna clutched at Darcy’s hand. “Is he--Is it safe?” she whispered. “That’s _him_. That’s the one--”

“Yes, but it’s not what you think,” Darcy interrupted. “He’s my friend.”

Loki snorted. “I think a better term would be _lover_ ,” he said with a smirk.

Darcy whirled on him, eyes blazing. “Get. Out,” she ordered from between gritted teeth. He stared at her, head tilted quizzically. “Get the _fuck_ out, Loki,” she said again, her voice brooking no argument. He looked for a moment as if he might press the point, but then he vanished in a wisp of green energy, leaving Darcy alone with her mother.

Joanna’s legs gave out and Darcy had to abruptly support her mother’s weight. She lowered them both carefully to the floor. “Oh, god,” Joanna said. “Oh, my god. Darcy, did--did he _force_ you…?”

Darcy growled in the throat. Of _course_ that’s what her mother would fixate on. “Mom, just take some deep breaths, okay? I’ll explain everything from the beginning. We should just go downstairs and get Dad, okay?”

Joanna nodded numbly and let Darcy get her on her feet. When they made it downstairs, Darcy had to explain the situation to her father. It took her almost three hours to tell them everything, and she told them _everything_ . Okay, maybe not everything. There _were_ a few details she didn’t particularly want her parents to know.

She showed them how she could summon and store things in her pocket dimension. She even showed them how she could slow time. She told them how she’d been visiting Asgard in her dreams. She told them that she’d been in New York and what she did for SHIELD. She explained that she’d met Loki over a year ago and everything that he had done for her. And when she was done, they were silent, their hands clasped together, staring at her.

“Can you please say something?” she begged. “You’re kinda freaking me out.”

“Why?” George asked after a minute. “Why would you keep all this from us? Why wouldn’t you tell us?”

“Because I didn’t think you would believe me,” Darcy said miserably. “Most of the time _I_ could barely believe what was going on.”

Joanna shook her head. “All of this, this is so _ridiculous_. This can’t actually be happening.”

“Mom, I promise you, I’m not lying,” Darcy insisted.

Joanna rubbed her hand over her face. “I know, sweetheart. I know. It’s just… you know this is just all so much…”

“Yeah,” Darcy said, slumping in her chair.

“What he said,” Joanna said. “Did he--are you--”

“Oh, my god, Mom,” Darcy said in exasperation. “Loki didn’t rape me. He wouldn’t dare.”

“But he said you were--” Joanna couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

Darcy groaned and slapped her hand over her face. She thought for a moment how best to explain the lagsmaðr bond. She hit on a suitable analogy, but she didn’t think her mother would like it any better. She sighed and decided to go for it anyway.

“Technically, I guess you could say we got married,” she admitted.

“You _what_?” Joanna yelped.

“Well, there’s a bond, and it’s permanent,” Darcy said weakly. “And we said vows. Or _he_ did, at least.”

“But he-- you _know_ what he did!” Joanna protested.

“I know better than anyone,” Darcy snapped, her fragile patience finally giving up the ghost. “Loki wasn’t behind the attack on New York. It was an alien named Thanos who captured and tortured Loki and then forced him to go after the Tesseract.”

“An alien,” George said flatly, giving her a dubious look.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Dad!” Darcy burst out. “We had alien space whales flying through New fucking York. You cannot tell me that you’re hung up on that!”

“Don’t talk to your father like that,” Joanna said, rallying herself enough to give Darcy a stern look.

Something inside Darcy snapped. She was tired of being treated like a child. She was tired of people assuming she was nothing more than a lab assistant. She was tired of people assuming she was _human_ . She was a _norn_ , goddammit. She was almost as old as the fucking universe. She had been born, had lived, and had died more times than she could even remember and two tiny, finite _mortals_ were sitting there and judging her.

Darcy slammed her hands down on the table and did something she had never done before. She had always assumed that she controlled the norn, that she called it up from deep inside her when the moment necessitated it. This time, she let it consume her.

“I am an eternal being,” she said, her voice vibrating with power. “I encompass the knowledge of the universe. I began before time was even counted and I will have no ending. I have no need to temper myself to cater to the sensitivities of a single, insignificant mortal.”

The _mortals_ flinched away from her, away from her raw power. Sigyn rose to her feet and reached out towards them, seizing their consciousnesses and transporting all of them into the Hall of Stars, revealing herself in all her power as the stars wheeled by overhead in their frenetic orbits and time lost all semblance of meaning.

_“This is who I am,” she told them as they cowered away from her. “You are nothing more than the progenitors of the vessel that contains me. You are nothing compared to me. Your lives are no more significant than the countless other puling mortals that fill up the universe.”_

_Sigyn stepped towards them, her anger only feeding her power. “And you_ dare _speak to me that way?”_

_“Darcy,” one of them said. “Please.”_

_It would be so easy to end them. To snuff them out like a flickering candle flame, no longer needed nor desired. All she had to do was to cast them adrift in Yggdrasil to wander the eddies of the World Tree for the rest of eternity._

No.

_It was her, and it was not her. A single facet of a being that spanned time immemorial. A single whisper amid the clamor of memories that stretched the entire existence of the universe._

No. They are loved.

_She was eternal, and she was finite. She encompassed the universe and everything beyond, and she was a tiny, single point in time._

They belong to me. They are mine.

_The Hall of Stars flickered around her as she lost her connection to her power, as something within her fought back, fought for control. The mortal vessel, the tiny heartbeat of a child, clawed its way out of the depths of her consciousness._

I am more than this. I am norn, and I am Human.

The Hall of Stars vanished and they were back in the kitchen of their home in Philadelphia. Darcy felt as if someone had tried to stuff the entire universe into her brain. Which, come to think of it, was probably pretty accurate. It took a few minutes for the world to stop spinning, and for the room to come into focus.

Both of her parents were gray-faced and shaking. Darcy got to her feet fast enough to send her chair toppling backwards. “I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I never meant to--Oh, my god. I’m so sorry. Mom, I’m sorry.”

Joanna lunged out of her chair and tackled Darcy with a bear hug, knocking them both to the ground. “I don’t _care_ what you are,” she said in a fierce voice. “You are my _daughter_ and I love you.”

Darcy burst into tears and clung to her mother with all her strength, her sobs wracking her body. It had been a long week. Hell, a long _year_ . No, screw that. She had had a long fucking _life_. Darcy cried until she felt emptied, until she had no more tears, until all of her pent up pain, and anger, and sorrow was finally spent.

When she finally stopped shaking and her breathing settled into hiccups, she realized that she was sitting on the floor with both of her parents cocooned around her, enfolding her in safety. Her mother had also been crying, evidenced by the wet stain on Darcy’s sweater. George had not been crying, but he was just as shaky as the two women.

Joanna took Darcy’s face in trembling hands. “What do you need?” she asked softly. “What can I do?”

Darcy gave her a watery smile. “You’ve already done everything.”

With a final embrace, the three of them broke apart, fighting to regain their composure. A part of Darcy felt in awe of them. She had just quite literally shattered their world and yet they still remained her parents, no matter what.

“What--what day is it?” Darcy asked, rubbing her arms self-consciously.

“Saturday,” George told her. He frowned. “How long did you say you were on this other...realm?”

“Four days,” Darcy replied. “Four very long days. I need to call Jane. She’s probably frantic.” She rubbed her forehead. “She probably called SHIELD when she couldn’t get Loki and me back by herself. That’s how they knew to watch the flat. Shit. I really do not need this right now.”

Joanna gave Darcy a look. “How mad will you be if I tell you to watch your language?”

Darcy laughed weakly. “Sorry, Mom.” She chewed her thumbnail. SHIELD thought Loki had kidnapped her. Therefore they probably did not think she would be at her parents house, because why would Loki come here? So they probably weren’t watching the house. She got up and crossed over to the landline sitting on the counter, and dialed Jane’s number from memory.

She got Jane’s voice mail. That made Darcy frown. Darcy knew Jane. At this point Jane would be glued to her phone, ready to answer it at a moment’s notice. Something would have to have gone seriously wrong for Jane to miss a call from Darcy, of all people.

Darcy considered calling Steve. He’d want to know where she was, how she’d got there. He’d want to know where Loki was and what had happened. She found that she simply did not have the energy to try to argue Loki’s morality with anyone at the moment, much less Steve, the most morally upright person she knew.

She didn’t know what to do next, and she was too freaked out by what she had done to her parents to try to make a decision. She was seriously starting to regret sending Loki away. He would have known what to do. She knew he would come back, eventually. He was her lagsmaðr, after all. He wouldn’t be able to stay away for long.

Darcy chewed on her lip. She had no idea what had possessed Loki to act the way he had. But really, should she be surprised? She tried not to fool herself as to the kind of person  he was. Simply because he cared about her didn’t mean he was going to be polite to anyone else.

She finally replaced the phone and went to help her mother finish dinner. They didn’t talk about anything remotely related to norns or aliens or Loki during the meal. They talked about Joanna’s students and George’s work at the university and Darcy’s nephews. After dinner they made popcorn and watched a movie Darcy didn’t pay attention to at all.

They were halfway through the movie when the doorbell rang, and George went to answer it. There was a brief silence, and then, in a worried voice, he called, “Darcy?” She looked up with a frown before handing her mother the empty bowl of popcorn and went to investigate.

Agent Sitwell was standing at the front door. There were three black SUVs parked on the street in front of the house and agents in black body armor all over the yard. Darcy came to a halt in the entryway, her blood running cold.

“Miss Lewis,” Agent Sitwell said when he caught sight of her. “I need you to come with us.”

“What happened?” Darcy demanded, her mind racing. Had they been watching her parents’ house after all? “Where is Jane?”

“We’ll explain on the way,”  Sitwell said flatly. “You need to come with us right away.”

Darcy took a step backwards, shaking her head. “No. Not until you tell me what the hell is going on?”

For a split second Sitwell let himself look pissed-off and impatient. Then his neutral mask was back in place. He took a deep breath. “Loki has stolen the Tesseract,” he said.

XxxXxxX

They put Darcy’s parents in one of the SUVs. Darcy herself was put in another. No one said anything to her again, and she didn’t ask any questions. Sitwell sat next to her in the back of the SUV, attention focused on his phone the whole time. Darcy ignored him

Loki couldn’t have stolen the Tesseract. Darcy refused to believe it. He had no reason to. He had never wanted the Tesseract in the first place. But SHIELD didn’t know that. As far as they were concerned, Loki was the always chaotic evil supervillain who killed people for the laughs.

Of course, this raised the bigger question of who _did_ steal the Tesseract, and how? The security on the Tesseract was the best SHIELD had. Even Loki would have had a hard time getting in and out undetected.

Unless he _hadn’t_.

Oh, god, what if Loki _had_ taken the Tesseract? Darcy’s mind seized on the possibility and ran rampant, spinning out a thousand possible scenarios, none of which ended well. But even for all that she couldn’t think _why_ he would take it. He didn’t have any aspirations towards world domination, he was no longer under threat of imprisonment…

Then Darcy remembered. The Tesseract was an Infinity Stone. Specifically one that created portals through space. Was Loki trying to create a portal? No, why would he do that? He knew the Ways on and off Earth. If he wanted to leave the planet he wouldn’t need a portal.

The question of _why_ Loki would want to leave the planet was not one she wanted answers to. The thought that he would leave her like that made her physically ill. She was really, really regretting sending him away.

SHIELD took her to a small airfield where a quinjet waited. Darcy’s parents weren’t there. She tried to ask Sitwell where they were, but he only gave her a quelling look. She didn’t think SHIELD would harm her parents, or that they were in danger, so she restrained herself from using the norn-voice on him. There was no reason to reveal her hand early.

The jet had jump seats on either side of the cargo hold, and Sitwell instructed her to strap in, and then checked her harness after she had obeyed. The jet made a vertical takeoff. The only window was the windshield, which Darcy did not have the right angle to see through, so she had no idea where they were taking her until they landed, about half an hour later.

They’d brought her back to the Triskelion, which made sense. After all, this was where the Tesseract had been kept, and was probably the base of operations for their efforts to get it back. And she _had_ been the last person seen with Loki…

They escorted her into the building under heavy guard and immediately took her to a windowless room furnished with a metal table and two chairs. There was a mirror in one wall that Darcy knew would have an observation room on the other side of.

Great. She was now trapped in an interrogation room in the middle of one of SHIELD’s most heavily-secured bases. How much more screwed could she get?

Still no one had tried to speak with her, and Darcy was starting to get a little nervous. No, scratch that, she was a _lot_ nervous. She still didn’t know why they thought Loki had taken the Tesseract, or where Jane and Thor were.

She was too restless to sit in one of the chairs, so she prowled around the edge of the room. She didn’t bother trying the door. Even if it wasn’t locked there would be someone on the other side to discourage her from leaving.

They kept her in the interrogation room for two hours before the door opened and Natasha walked into the room.

“Where’s Jane?” Darcy demanded, whirling to face the other woman. “I tried calling her. She didn’t answer. What’s going on?”

Natasha held up her hands. “Why don’t you sit down, Darcy,” she suggested in a kind, friendly voice.

“You don’t need to pull any ‘good cop’ crap on me, Natasha,” Darcy snapped. “Where’s Jane?”

“Dr Foster called SHIELD two days ago and informed us you had fallen through a spatial anomaly left over from the Convergence,” Natasha said in a carefully neutral voice. “When the SHIELD team arrived in London, there was no sign of either Dr Foster, or Dr Selvig, whom we tried to contact after failing to contact Dr Foster.”

Darcy stilled, a cold tendril of fear touching her heart. Jane was with Thor. Thor would literally protect Jane with his life. If something had happened to her that Thor couldn’t prevent…

No. Her brain shuddered away from the thought. Jane was fine, she told herself. Jane was okay. Darcy slowly lowered herself in one of the chairs.

“Darcy,” Natasha said gently. “As far as we can tell, you’ve been with Loki for four days. Do you want to tell me what happened?”

A high-pitched giggle broke free from Darcy’s throat and she strangled it, but it was too late. “No,” she said after regaining her composure.

“Darcy, whatever happened, whatever he did, you’re safe now, you know that, right?” Natasha asked, still in that gentle, even voice.

“Safe?” Darcy echoed. “I’m being held in an interrogation room, Natasha. I don’t feel _safe._ ”

“It’s just until we can determine the effect Loki had on you,” Natasha told her. “It’s for your protection just as much as ours.”

Darcy leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. She didn’t fail to note that Natasha wasn’t asking Darcy any personal questions. She knew that Natasha and Clint had witnessed her dreamwalking. No doubt Steve had been forced to explain the situation. But Natasha was clearly avoiding asking her any of those questions.

Natasha _was_ protecting her. Protecting her from getting on SHIELD’s radar in a bad way. Protecting her from the Index, from a laboratory and experiments. Darcy felt a wave of affection for the other woman, but it was tempered by frustration.

“I need you to tell me everything you remember that Loki did while he was with you,” Natasha said. She sat in the chair opposite Darcy, her body language casual. It was all an act, made to get Darcy to open up, to relax. Except Darcy wasn’t a simple lab assistant swept up in circumstances beyond her control.

Darcy shook her head. “I can’t,” she replied.

“Did Loki do something to you?” Natasha asked, her voice pitched to carry no threat.

Darcy kicked the leg of the table, making it jump toward Natasha. Natasha didn’t react. “No,” Darcy said, her lips pressed in a thin line. “He didn’t. He didn’t hurt me. He didn’t make me do anything. And he _didn’t_ take the Tesseract.”

Because she really, really needed to believe that.

“How did he find you?” Natasha asked, taking a different tack.

Darcy shook her head.

“Do you know how he escaped Asgard?” Natasha pressed.

Darcy kicked the table again. “Yes,” she said, because that information couldn’t hurt anyone. Well, _most_ of it anyway. Natasha gave her an encouraging look. Darcy sighed. “When Jane got infected by the Aether, and Thor’s dad refused to let anyone leave, Thor asked Loki to help them get off Asgard. As far as anyone knew, though, Loki died saving Thor’s life.” She couldn’t help throwing that last part in. They’d probably just ignore it, though.

Natasha nodded, mostly to herself. “When you passed through the anomaly, four days ago, where did you go?”

Darcy sighed heavily. “A planet called Rhia,” she said in a resigned voice. “It’s one of the Nine Realms.”

“And how did you get back?”

Darcy gnawed on her lower lip. “A woman named Helke helped us.”

“Us?” Natasha repeated. “You and Loki?”

Darcy glowered and nodded.

Natasha leaned forward. “Darcy, you know that I’m trying to help you, right?” she asked earnestly. “I can’t help you if you don’t help me.”

“I don’t _need_ your help,” Darcy said wearily. “I was doing fine on my own.”

Natasha stared at her for a moment. “Do you know where Loki is right now?” she asked.

“No,” Darcy replied shortly.

“How did you get to your parent’s house?”

“Loki brought me there.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because I asked him to,” Darcy said testily.

Natasha blinked, clearly not expecting that answer. “You… asked him to,” she repeated flatly.

“ _Yes_ ,” Darcy emphasized.

“He wasn’t there when our agents arrived,” Natasha said. “When did he leave?”

“A few minutes after we got there,” Darcy said sullenly.

“Why did he leave?”

“I told him to.”

Natasha stared at Darcy, brows drawing together. “And you have no idea where he is right now?” Darcy shook her head. “Darcy, you have to give me something,” Natasha pressed. “You do realize what’s at stake here, don’t you?”

“Loki didn’t take the Tesseract,” Darcy snapped. She couldn’t tell them _how_ she knew that, because if she told them that Loki had been coerced into attacking Earth they would want to know how she knew that, too, and “I read Loki’s mind” was probably not going to cut it.

Natasha took a deep breath, about to launch another line of questioning, when the door opened, and Steve walked in. He was still wearing his Captain America uniform, and his shield was strapped to his back. Darcy shoved to her feet fast enough to knock her chair over and lunged at him.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Darcy saw Natasha rise to her feet as well, and for a split second she thought it might not have been a good idea to make such a sudden move. But then she reached Steve and she flung her arms around his waist, burying her face against his chest. He hesitated only a fraction of a second before hugging her back.

“Hey, Darce,” he said softly, stroking a hand over her hair. “How you holding up?”

“I’m okay,” she told him, suddenly fighting back tears. “I’m freaking the fuck out, but I’m okay.”

“I’m sorry we have to do this,” he told her, still hugging her. “We just can’t take any chances.”

Darcy pulled away enough to look up at his face. “Loki didn’t take the Tesseract,” she insisted.

He studied her for a long moment with a frown creasing his forehead, and then he turned to Natasha and nodded. She nodded back and left the room, closing the door behind her. Steve took out a small device from his pocket that looked like a cross between a hedgehog and a joke buzzer. He pushed the button on the side.

“Stark made this,” Steve told her. “It’ll disrupt the cameras for forty-five seconds, so talk fast. What’s really going on?”

“Loki was with me when we fell through the anomaly,” Darcy said in a rush. “He came to us for help after getting wounded protecting Thor. He saved my life, Steve. He protected me. He _didn’t_ steal the Tesseract.”

Steve frowned at her. “There’s no evidence that it was actually Loki,” he admitted. “But when it went missing just hours after we discovered Loki was back on Earth…”

“Loki never wanted the Tesseract in the first place!” Darcy told him urgently. “It was Thanos. Steve, I _told_ you all this, remember?”

He nodded. “I remember. Darcy, did he hurt you in any way?”

She shook her head. “He wouldn’t. Not now.”

“What do you mean, not now?” Steve demanded, but then the device in his hand beeped and he shook his head at her. He shoved the device into his pocket. “We’re gonna take you to have a couple of scans done,” he told her in a different voice. “Make sure your memories weren’t tampered with.”

“And if they were, could you tell?” Darcy asked sourly, stepping away from Steve and wrapping her arms around herself.

“They’ve got some pretty good technology here,” Steve told her. “They should be able to pick up something.” He walked over and opened the door, beckoning for her to follow. When she joined him, she saw there were six black-clad SHIELD agents waiting in the hall, along with Director Fury.

Fury’s single eye was fixed on Steve with a disapproving glare. “Captain,” he said flatly. “Cameras went out for a minute. Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” Steve replied evenly, placing his hand on Darcy’s lower back to escort her into the hall. “Did you check the equipment?”

“Equipment’s fine,” Fury said dryly, and turned his attention to Darcy. “How are you feeling, Miss Lewis?”

“Threatened,” she snapped at him, leaning closer to Steve. “Where are my parents?”

“They’re being held at a secure location for their own safety,” Fury told her. “We need to make sure Loki didn’t tamper with their minds, same as you.”

Darcy made a face and Steve gently prompted her to walk down the hall. The agents fell into formation around them, three ahead and three behind. No one said anything as they walked, and Darcy’s gaze skipped nervously around as she tried to plan out her next move.

They had to cross through the secondary security lobby in order to get to the medical wing. People stopped and stared as they passed. Darcy kept her eyes straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge anyone else. So she didn’t initially see what caused the guards to tighten into a close knot around her.

There were gasps and curses throughout the lobby, and scrambling footsteps. Darcy cast around, confused, and then Steve shoved his way through the guards. Darcy darted along in his wake before anyone could stop her.

Loki stood in the middle of the lobby, still wearing his full armor minus the helm. He held empty hands up at shoulder-height and, when Darcy emerged from the cluster of agents, his eyes found hers with razor focus. Every weapon in the room was pointed at him, but he didn’t notice nor care. All of his attention was turned solely on Darcy.

“Are you well?” he asked her in an even, unconcerned voice.

She nodded, eyes wide, her voice catching in her throat. “Yeah.”

“Don’t move,” Steve ordered, positioning himself in front of Darcy and pulling his shield over his shoulder to hold it in front of him. “You’re surrounded.”

Loki blinked and transferred his gaze to Steve. “Ah, Captain,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “Earnest as always. Are you going to ask me to give myself up peacefully?”

“It’s the best thing for all of us,” Steve said. “There’s no need for this to get messy.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Very well,” he said briskly.

Steve drew himself up in surprise. “What?” he said blankly.

Loki raised an eyebrow. “I surrender,” he said slowly. “I have come to turn myself in.”

“Loki, _no_!” Darcy said, trying to push past Steve. He held her back with one arm.

“Be silent, child,” Loki told her, not ungently. “There are things happening here beyond your knowledge.”

Darcy watched in dismay as the agents approached Loki cautiously, their weapons never wavering from him. Loki dutifully held out his hands and allowed them to place binders on his wrists. She watched, throat closing, as they led him away. Just before he disappeared from sight, he turned and looked back at her, his expression solemn. He nodded, fractionally, and then he was gone.

Darcy sucked in a deep, shaky breath. They were well and truly screwed.


	31. I Love The Things You Hate About Yourself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. So here we are. Second to the last chapter. I can hardly believe it. I hope you guys don't hate the ending. Or me. I put a lot of effort into this story, and lost a good deal of sleep. I started this thinking it would be an easy, 20k one-off and then I could move on to my first love, Stucky. I was wrong. Over 170k words and 420 pages later, I have this monstrosity. And I'm not complete with this storyline, either. I have a total of four sequals in the works. They were originally going to be a single story, but I realized the plot points were too disparate for a cohesive work and broke them up. So we will be continuing soon!

Steve took Darcy to have her brain scanned. She didn’t try to protest, didn’t try to resist. She could barely contain her panic and her nervousness. What was Loki planning? Why did he turn himself in? Because of course he had a plan. Loki always had a plan.

 

They wanted to do a full physical examination but she flatly refused. Steve managed to convince her to at least give them a blood sample. Clint showed up while she was still in the medical wing.

 

“Hey, kid,” he greeted with a rueful smile, coming over to give her a hug. “You hanging in there?”

 

“I’m fine,” Darcy said with a heavy sigh. “I wish everyone would stop assuming that I’m not okay.”

 

“Kid, you were with Loki for four days,” Clint told her, his hand resting on her shoulder. “Trust me, I’ve been there. It’s not good.”

 

Darcy swallowed with difficulty. It was hard, sometimes, to reconcile the Loki  _ before _ she met him and the Loki  _ after _ . They were wildly different people. “He didn’t hurt me,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

 

“I know you think that, but he could have done something you don’t remember,” Clint said gently, squeezing her shoulder. “We just want to make sure nothing happened.”

 

“Darcy.”

 

Darcy looked up at the sound of Steve’s voice, flat and grim and dangerous. There was a doctor behind him, clutching a tablet to his chest, his face solemn. Darcy’s stomach turned inside out.

 

“Steve?” she asked uncertainly. “Why are you looking at me like that? What happened?”

 

Steve crossed over to her and gently took her hand. “How much do you remember of your time with Loki?” he asked softly.

 

“All of it, why? You’re freaking me out,” Darcy said, eyes wide and fixed on her face. Clint sidled closer to her, hand tightening on her shoulder.

 

Steve took a deep breath and glanced at the doctor, who nodded. Steve turned back to Darcy. “There’s an 87% chance you’re pregnant,” he told her quietly.

 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Clint said feelingly.

 

Darcy blinked at Steve for several seconds, unable to formulate a reply. “87%?” she repeated. Steve looked over at the doctor again.

 

“This is just based on the hormone levels in your blood sample,” the doctor said. “If you are pregnant, you would have conceived in the last few days.”

 

“Damn,” Darcy said weakly.

 

“Hey, you okay?” Clint said quickly, his hand sliding down to support her back. “Darce, you okay?”

 

She shook her head to clear it. Of course this would happen. Because she needed something else to worry about. After all, it wasn’t as if she and Loki had been careful. It hadn’t seemed important at the time. Guess she’d learned her lesson.

 

“I’m fine,” she said in a voice that wasn’t as strong as she had intended. She straightened and pushed Clint away from her. “I’m fine,” she said again. “I just… I just wasn’t expecting that.” 

 

Steve squeezed her hand. “Do you need--”

 

“I need to not think about this right now,” she said sharply. “I have enough to deal with. This can wait.” She looked over at the doctor. “Are we done?”

 

He looked taken aback by her brusqueness and only nodded. Darcy looked up at Steve. “Where are you at with finding the Tesseract?” she demanded.

 

He peered at her, brow furrowed. She gave him a significant look, unseen by Clint and the doctor. “We’re working on it,” was all he said. “You know we can’t tell you anything more.”

 

“What about Jane, Thor, and Erik?” Darcy demanded. “Have you found them, yet?”

 

“There’s still no sign of them,” Steve told her. “We’re doing everything we can to find them, Darcy.”

 

She wrapped her arms around herself. “Yeah,” she said, her shoulders drooping. “I--uh--I’m really tired. Can I--can I lay down somewhere? I’d like to get some sleep.”

 

Steve and Clint exchanged a look. “Why don’t you sleep here?” Clint said, gesturing toward the examination bed. “I think we’d all feel better if you weren’t alone right now.”

 

“I can get you a sedative, if you like,” the doctor offered.

 

“I’ll be fine,” Darcy said dully. Both Clint and Steve offered to stay until she fell asleep, but she didn’t want either of them hanging around at the moment. So they left her with two guards stationed outside the door to the medical room, and the doctor left a sleeping pill in a paper cup if she changed her mind.

 

Darcy was exhausted. It had been a ridiculously long day that had started out on a different planet on the other end of the galaxy. Now she was in SHIELD custody, Loki was locked in a cage somewhere (again), and she might be pregnant.

 

Awesome.

 

As tired as she was, it still took her several hours to wind down enough to fall asleep. And when she did, it caught her by surprise.

 

_ She was surrounded by darkness, but it was not frightening. The darkness was warm, comforting… safe. She could feel it cradling her, like a cocoon, protecting her. And in the darkness, she felt another presence: ancient yet vibrant, familiar as her own heartbeat, nurturing but not kind. Impartial. _

 

_ The presence drew closer to her, and it filled her senses with the scent of green leaves and the taste of sap, and she could feel rough bark under her hands. It pressed against her mind, ancient and vast, and yet somehow primitive. She could sense consciousness, sentience, but on a level so far removed from her own she doubted they would be able to communicate. _

 

_ It wanted something from her… No, it wanted to tell her something. She struggled to understand it and grew frustrated. It merely pressed harder against her mind, dragging her inexorably into itself…  _

 

_ She stood in the Hall of Stars, the ground like ice beneath her bare feet. Before her stood four megaliths, silent guardians each facing one of the cardinal directions. She had been here before. She walked forward, trying to see what it was the presence was trying to show her. _

 

_ The low, stone altar still sat in the center of the megaliths, holding only the knife made from black obsidian. She could feel its chaotic power, its primal pull, and again she was drawn to it, hand reaching out to take it up. _

 

_ “It demands a sacrifice.” _

 

_ The voice came from behind her, familiar, and yet not. She struggled for a moment, wanting to turn around to see who had spoken, wanting to move towards the knife again. _

 

_ “It will demand a sacrifice,” the voice said again. “It will devour the worlds.” _

 

_ This. This was what the presence wanted her to know. The awful energy bound up in the knife was poised to be released, to consume the Nine Realms and beyond. This was the warning. _

 

_ Ragnarok was coming. _

 

Darcy jerked awake, swallowing a scream. She pushed herself into a sitting position, casting around frantically until she realized she was not in space, but in the medical wing of the Triskelion. The lingering traces of the foreign presence faded from her mind, but the dream did not.

 

The voice that had spoken to her; she  _ knew _ it, but she couldn’t remember who it belonged to. It was the same voice she had heard so long ago, speaking with Urd when Darcy had first discovered Ragnarok, her second trip to the Hall of Stars.

 

They had plans for her.

 

It was all connected. Ragnarok and the Tesseract. She didn’t know how, but she  _ knew _ the way that norns knew. Something was coming, gathering on the horizon like a storm. Somehow she had managed to miss all the signs, and it was almost upon them without any warning.

 

She needed to speak to Loki.

 

Darcy got off the hospital cot and went to the door. When she opened it a crack, she could hear Clint’s voice.

 

“No,” he was saying. “Absolutely not.”

 

“Look, I don’t like it either,” Natasha replied. “But this is our first chance to maybe get some answers from him.”

 

“This is  _ Loki _ . You can’t possibly trust him.”

 

“We don’t. But the best interrogations are give and take. He might reveal something he didn’t intend to.”

 

“Natasha, there’s a strong possibility that Darcy is pregnant. Loki may have  _ raped _ her, and you want her to walk into a room with him again. Alone.”

 

“She won’t be alone,” Natasha protested. “She’ll have an earpiece and I’ll be feeding her lines.”

 

“You know he’s got some ulterior motive, right?” Clint demanded. “He’s not  _ actually _ going to just tell us where the Tesseract is.”

 

“No, I don’t think he’s suddenly going to spill his guts. But he’s going to give us  _ something _ and it might be worth it.”

 

“Worth traumatizing Darcy? I’m sorry, Natasha, but the answer is no.”

 

Darcy pushed the door all the way open and stepped into the hall. “I’ll do it,” she said. Both Clint and Natasha turned to stare at him. “Loki asked to talk to me, didn’t he?” Darcy asked. She could see the reply in their expressions. “I’ll do it,” she said again. “I’ll talk to him.”

 

“Darcy, you don’t have to,” Clint said, walking towards her. He was wearing some kind of sleeveless body armor, a deep purple chevron on the chest, and his bow and quiver were strapped to his back. Natasha, likewise, was wearing a black bodysuit complete with a utility belt and heavy metal cuffs. They were just waiting for something big to go down.

 

Darcy crossed her arms and squared her shoulder. “I want to do it,” she told him.

 

Natasha gave Clint a triumphant look that he returned with a scowl. “Are you sure?” he asked Darcy. She nodded, and reached out to put her hand on his arm.

 

“There’s more going on here than you know, Clint,” she said softly, for his ears only. “I’ve got everything under control.” A bald-faced lie, but she hoped he would still believe her.

 

He hesitated a moment longer, and then nodded unhappily. “Okay. If you’re sure.”

 

They took her into the bowels of the building, sixteen levels underground to a floor that looked more like a detention facility than an office building. Clint and Natasha flanked her as they led her into another small, windowless room. Steve was there, and so were Tony and Dr Banner.

 

“Hey, kiddo. How you feeling?” Tony asked, giving her an uncharacteristically sympathetic look.

 

She resisted the urge to snap at him. They were trying to be kind. They didn’t know the things that she did. To them she was a victim, helpless and abused.

 

“I’m okay,” she said evenly.

 

“Don’t worry about anything, okay?” Tony went on. He jerked his thumb at Dr Banner. “If Daddy Issues tries anything, we already know that Jolly Green can take him, no sweat.”

 

Dr Banner grimaced and removed his glasses. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

 

Natasha presented Darcy with an earbud. “All you have to do is say exactly what I tell you to,” she said. “Nothing else. If he doesn’t cooperate, or you feel uncomfortable for any reason, you leave, okay? You give us the signal, and we’ll come get you. You can back out any time. Got it?”

 

Darcy inserted the bud into her ear and tapped it experimentally. “Got it,” she said.

 

“Okay. I’ll walk you down,” Natasha said. “We’re all going to be watching, so you don’t need to worry.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” Darcy assured her.

 

Steve touched her shoulder. “You know you only say that when you’re not,” he told her quietly. She gave him a flat look and started walking towards the door, Natasha falling into step beside her. They walked down a short hall, and then to a massive metal door with two guards in full body armor outside. Natasha gestured and one of them started to pull the door open

 

The door was almost two feet thick, and so were the walls of the room. Darcy resisted the urge to snort. As if that could contain someone who knew how to  _ teleport _ . But they didn’t know Loki could do that, and she had no intention of informing them.

 

The room beyond was half taken up by a circular, glass-walled chamber, filled with bright white light while the rest of the chamber was dim. Inside the chamber was a simple cot, a short bench, and Loki, still in his full armor, back to the door.

 

Darcy stepped into the room and the door closed behind her. She could feel the air pressure change when the door was sealed. Loki didn’t acknowledge her presence. She hesitated, and then started to walk forward.

 

“Don’t approach the cage,” Natasha instructed in her ear. Darcy stopped in her tracks. She didn’t want them to barge in, to drag her away, so she would cooperate. For now. She swallowed thickly. She could feel her hands shaking.

 

She had spent over a year visiting Loki in the cell in Asgard’s dungeons, but the sight of him now in one again made her sick to her stomach. He didn’t belong in a cell. Not anymore. She felt an irrational wave of anger towards SHIELD. They had no idea what they were dealing with. Why did they have to get in the way?

 

“Loki,” Darcy called softly, clenching her hands into fists at her side.

 

He turned around, clasping his hands at his back in a familiar stance, and stared at her with a blank expression. “Have they hurt you?” he asked in a flat, emotionless voice.

 

“No,” she replied, matching his tone. She knew how hard it was for him to contain himself, because it was hard for her, too. The bond sang between them, trying to draw them together, making her skin itch with the desire for contact.

 

“Ask him where the Tesseract is,” Natasha ordered quietly.

 

Darcy swallowed again. “Why did you surrender to them?” she asked instead.

 

“Darcy,  _ don’t _ engage him!” Natasha barked. Darcy ignored her.

 

Loki tilted his head at her, his expression still unreadable. “They had taken you,” he replied. “I needed to speak with you.”

 

“You shouldn’t have done it,” Darcy said, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

He smiled faintly, the first expression she’d seen on his face. “As if I had a choice. I  _ am _ sorry, Darcy. For frightening you. For giving you cause to doubt me.”

 

“Darcy, he is trying to get inside your head,” Natasha said urgently. “You need to leave, now.”

 

She took a shaky breath. “They want to know where the Tesseract is,” she said out loud. “I told them you didn’t take it but they won’t listen to me.”

 

Natasha fell silent in her ear, maybe hoping Loki would say something incriminating.

 

“I did not take it,” he said, stepping closer to the edge of the cage. “What need of it do I have?”

 

The door opened behind her, and Darcy lunged towards the cage. She had only seconds now, before they would drag her away. She pressed her hands to the glass and Loki did the same, covering her palms with his.

 

“I did not take the Tesseract, but I know who did,” he hissed at her urgently. “It was one of your sisters. I do not know  _ why _ . I went to your parents’ home to find you and you were not there.”

 

Hands grabbed Darcy’s arms and a spasm of anger passed over Loki’s face. He slammed his fist against the glass and it cracked under the blow. “Do not touch her,” he raged at the guards trying to drag her back. “ _ Darcy _ !”

 

Darcy struggled suddenly, startling the men handling her, and she used their surprise to slip out of their grasp and run back to the cage. She caught herself on the glass. “Ragnarok is coming,” she gasped at him, and then they were pulling her back again.

 

Loki stared at her, eyes wide in shock and horror, fist still pressed against the cracked glass. He knew the words that had been spoken over him at birth, that  _ he _ would bring Ragnarok, and now Darcy felt it fast approaching, like the wings of a carrion bird stooping over the battlefield.

 

The Avengers were waiting in the hallway for her while more guards rushed into the cage room. “I  _ told  _ you this was a bad idea,” Steve was snarling at Natasha.

 

“You don’t know that,” Natasha retorted. “He might have given us something.”

 

“He was yanking our chain,” Clint said, arms crossed. “What the fuck was he talking about, Darcy’s sisters? She has three brothers.”

 

Steve took a breath, about to say something, and then he caught sight of her, standing where the guards had abandoned her. “This is starting to get out of hand,” he told her. “I know it’s your decision, but I can’t sit on this for much longer.”

 

“You don’t have to,” Darcy said quietly, crossing her arms. “It’s time.” 

 

XxxXxxX

 

The six of them snuck away and found a small conference chamber, engaging the security lock once inside. Steve nodded at Tony and the inventor pulled his phone out of his hand, tapped a couple commands on the screen, and then pressed a finger to his ear. 

 

“Jarvis, buddy, I need a cone of silence on this room,” he said. There was an inaudible reply, and then Tony looked around at the others. “Okay. Jarvis can kill the cameras in this room for seventeen minutes before your security will notice the looped feed, so whatever the hell is going on, you better be quick.”

 

Darcy took a deep breath and looked at Clint and Natasha. “You know.” It was more of a statement than a question.

 

“We know some,” Natasha said, tilting her head. “We know you can bilocate. That’s about it. Steve was pretty cagey about the rest.”

 

“Bilocate?” Dr Banner asked, putting his hands on the back of a chair and leaning forward. “Darcy, you can be in two places at once?”

 

Darcy nodded. “It’s called dreamwalking,” she said. “I have to be unconscious in order to do it. I fall asleep  _ here _ and wake up… somewhere else.”

 

“Wait, you’re telling us you have  _ superpowers _ ?” Tony demanded, pointing at Darcy. “You were holding out on us, Poli Sci?”

 

Darcy bit her lip. “I don’t have superpowers,” she said. “Any more than Thor or Loki do. I have  _ abilities _ , but it’s because I’m not… Human. Not completely.”

 

Clint, Natasha, Tony, and Dr Banner all tensed at that. In the case of the SHIELD agents, their hands drifted to concealed weapons. Steve stepped in front of Darcy, his presence commanding. “Whatever you’re thinking, Darcy is not a threat,” he said firmly. “I’ve known about her for a while now, and she’s definitely a friendly.”

 

Tony gestured impatiently. “Talk less, explain more. What the hell do you mean, you’re not Human?”

 

“I was born in Pennsylvania,” Darcy said. “I have Human parents, Human brothers. This world… Earth is my  _ home _ . But this,” she gestured to herself. “ _ Darcy _ is a vessel. A Human body inhabited by an immortal entity named Sigyn. She… She is something called a norn. They’re basically goddesses. They’re protectors of wisdom, and fate. They can see the future, and affect time, and they know all the secrets to the universe. Or, I thought they did.”

 

Darcy frowned and scanned the faces in front of her. Clint was blank-faced, Natasha neutrally intent. Dr Banner was thoughtful, and Tony’s expression was locked in disbelief.

 

“Okay, I’ve seen… a lot of really weird stuff over the last few years,” Tony said, waving a hand in front of his face. “But this is asking a little much.”

 

“She’s telling the truth,” Steve insisted.

 

“I can… I can prove it,” Darcy offered. “I can take you… somewhere. I can show you.” She wrung her hands together. “I’m sorry, I’m still pretty new to this. I didn’t know what I was until, like, two years ago.”

 

“I want to know how Loki figures into this,” Clint burst out. He pushed away from the wall he was leaning against and pointed at Darcy. “You being this… norn thing. I can buy that. Always knew there was something about you. Things you knew, things you could do. But Loki? What the hell?”

 

“He works for me,” Darcy blurted, and everyone stared at her. “He’s… sort of my bodyguard. He made a promise to protect me, even at the expense of his life.”

 

There was a long moment of shocked silence, and then Dr Banner spoke. “Loki,” he said slowly in disbelief. “Made a promise… to protect you?”

 

“Yes,” Darcy replied quietly. “And if he ever breaks that promise, he will die. Or worse.”

 

“Why the fuck would he do that?” Clint demanded bluntly.

 

“Because he would rather spend the rest of his life in service to me than rotting in a dungeon,” Darcy said acerbically. “It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

 

“Sooo… are you saying he  _ didn’t _ take the Tesseract?” Tony asked, raising his eyebrows.

 

“He didn’t,” Darcy said flatly. “He wouldn’t have done something like that without my permission.”

 

“Your permission?” Natasha echoed. She tilted her head at Darcy. “Are you saying you can control him?”

 

“No,” Darcy said in frustration, clenching her fists. “I don’t  _ have _ to control him. I  _ trust _ him.” She blinked, caught off guard by her own words. She hadn’t meant to say that.

 

“You  _ trust _ him?” Clint demanded in disbelief. “After everything he’s done? Darcy, you were  _ in _ New Mexico. You almost died because of him! And then New York! How could you possibly  _ trust _ him?”

 

Darcy felt the rage building again, Sigyn’s rage. It seethed so close to the surface now, released by her outburst at her parents’ house. She had no idea that Sigyn was such an angry person. It should have disturbed her.

 

It should have, but it didn’t.

 

Darcy used the rage, used it to fuel her power. The conference room blinked out around them, the Hall of Stars appearing in its place.

 

_ “This is why I trust him,” Sigyn said quietly, her voice vibrating with power. The five mortals stared around themselves in shock, at the stars overhead and the branches of Yggdrasil passing through the chamber. “Because he is not strong enough to deceive me.” _

 

_ One of them, the soldier, the man of Justice, he turned to her, his eyes frightened but kind. “Darcy,” he said. “Where are we? What did you do?” _

 

_ She gestured around them. “This is my home,” she said. They stared at her and she knew what they saw; a young woman, outwardly mortal, dressed in white with her hair held back by a purple band. She didn’t reveal her true self. No, they did not deserve that. _

 

_ “That the hell is this place?” asked the inventor, craning his head back to look at the stars wheeling overhead. “Are we in space? How is there air? And, you know, gravity.” _

 

_ “This is the Hall of Stars,” Sigyn replied cooly. “It is a construct, brought into existence through the collective minds of the norns. It is our home, and our refuge.” _

 

_ “So, none of this exists?” asked the scientist, the one who concealed an anger that rivaled even her own. “This is just… in our heads?” _

 

_ “Simply because it is inside your mind doesn’t mean it isn’t real,” Sigyn replied, folding her hands in front of her. She turned to the others, the spy and the archer. They had their weapons drawn, their eyes looking for danger, for an enemy. _

 

_ “I assure you,” she told them. “I did not bring you here with the intention of harming you. I merely wished you to see the truth.” _

 

_ The archer lowered his bow. “This… this is you?” he asked. “All of this. This is you?” _

 

_ “Part of it,” she replied, inclining her head. “I have eight sisters. They also help to create this place.” _

 

_ The archer licked his lips. “Okay. Yeah. What you said? I believe you.” _

 

_ Sigyn smiled faintly. “Your confidence is precious to me,” she said, and was only slightly sarcastic. She watched the others spread out, exploring this place. The inventor and the scientist immediately started a loud discussion as to whether or not the position of the stars were accurate. _

 

_ She sensed another presence approaching, one of her sisters, and she froze. Loki had warned her that the Tesseract had been taken by one of her sisters. Such a betrayal was unfathomable, but he wouldn’t lie to her. _

 

_ Skaði flickered into existence in front of Sigyn, like bad reception on a TV. Sigyn immediately moved to defend the mortals, even though just the thought of having to fight her twin broke her heart. It took her a moment to realize that Skaði was bleeding. _

 

_ Skaði’s white gown was stained with deep red blood, blossoming across her stomach. Sigyn lunged forward and caught her sister as she collapsed, cradling the other norn in her arms. The soldier must have heard Sigyn’s horrified cry, because he was at her side in an instant. _

 

_ “What happened?” he demanded, leaning over to look for the source of the blood. _

 

_ Skaði reached up to touch Sigyn’s cheek, leaving a smear of blood on the pale skin there. “Sister,” she gasped. “Sister.” _

 

_ “I am here,” Sigyn said, tears gathering in her eyes. “Who has done this, my love? _

 

_ “Who is that?” she heard asked behind her. “One of the other norns,” the soldier replied shortly. “Darcy’s sister.” To Sigyn, he asked, “We need to get her to medical care.” _

 

_ “There is no point,” Sigyn told him, her eyes still on her sister’s face. “Her body is far away, on another Realm. We will never make it there in time.” _

 

_ Skaði coughed, blood bubbling up over her lips. “Ragnarok,” she croaked. _

 

_ “I know,” Sigyn assured her. “Ragnarok is coming. I have felt it.” _

 

_ “No, Ragnarok,” Skaði insisted, clutching at Sigyn. “Sister… our sister… brings…” she ran out of breath and lay gasping for air in Sigyn’s arms. _

 

_ Tears overflowed from Sigyn’s eyes. “I am sorry,” she whispered. “I am sorry for your pain. But it doesn’t last. It will end, and you will be reborn.” She clutched Skaði tighter. “I promise you, sister. I will find who did this to you.” _

 

_ “Sister,” Skaði repeated, her voice weaker. “Our sister… did this. Eydis… gone. My Eydis…” _

 

_ Sigyn felt her body grow cold, an anger igniting inside deep her belly. “Our sister?” she whispered. “Our sister has done this?” _

 

_ Skaði nodded, her fingers clenched in Sigyn’s gown loosening, and then falling slack. “I could not stop…” she whispered faintly. “...Sorry. Sigyn, I… sorry.” Her breath rattled in her throat, and then fell silent, her eyes turning dull. Then her body vanished, evaporating as if she had never been there. _

 

_ Sigyn staggered forward, nearly falling as Skaði’s weight vanished from her arms. The soldier caught her, strong hands gripping her shoulders. _

 

_ “Darcy,” he said softly. “Darce, I’m so sorry.” _

 

_ The norn remained where she was, crouched on the ground, and the anger filled her up until it rushed in her ears, turning the edges of her vision red, until it surged in time with her heartbeat. _

 

_ “One of my sisters did this,” she said in a perfectly calm, even voice. It sounded distant, as if it belonged to someone else. _

 

_ “Darcy,” the soldier said again. She rose swiftly to her feet and turned around to meet his gaze. He took a full step backwards. She knew there was none of his human friend left. There was only the norn. _

 

_ “This matter does not concern you,” she told him, and gestured curtly. It was only a moment’s effort to return them to Earth, to get them out of the way. They were precious to the human girl, and though she did not share the sentiment, she shared the vessel, and she would prefer not to have to fight against her own flesh. _

 

_ Sigyn closed her eyes briefly. She did not mourn for Skaði. Her sister’s pain was over and she would be reborn. She mourned for her other sister, the one who had done this. She mourned for the betrayal and she mourned for her loss. Because Sigyn was going to find a way to destroy her, even at the cost of her own life. _

 

_ The Hall of Stars did not exist in three dimensions. It did not take up space. It did not adhere to the laws of physics. It contained the vastness of the universe within it, every thing and every place the norns had need of. Despite this, it did not take Sigyn long to find Ragnarok. _

 

_ Two figures stood between the megaliths, facing the stone altar. The first had a diminutive build, draped with a cloak made of silver shadows. The second figure was Loki. Sigyn stopped in her tracks at the sight of her lagsmaðr. Confusion blossomed amidst her rage. He would have to have been brought here by a norn, but why? And by whom? _

 

_ “I had hoped to avoid this, dear sister,” said the cloaked figure. “You were always my favorite. I would have you survive this.” _

 

_ “You hurt Skaði,” Sigyn said, her voice trembling. “You took the Tesseract. You betrayed us. Show my your face, you treacherous worm.” _

 

_ The figure turned around slowly. Then, with hands worn and papery with age, she lowered her hood to reveal her face. _

  
_ “Hello, Sigyn,” Skuld said. _


	32. This Is Gospel For The Fallen Ones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. Last chapter. It's been fun, folks.  
> Thanks, Bea, for being the inspiration for this.  
> Thank you everyone who left comments or kudos.  
> The Yggdrasil Chronicles will continue with The Green Gentleman, coming soon to an Archive near you.
> 
> Enjoy!

_Sigyn stared at her sister in shock. “Skuld?” she asked, her voice shaking, the uncertain squeak of a child. “How could you do this? For what purpose?”_

_“Oh, Sigyn,” Skuld said sadly, clasping her hands in front of her. Beside her, Loki remained standing, facing Ragnarok, arms stiff at his side. “Sigyn, dear child, do you not see I am doing this for you? For us?”_

_“You killed Skaði,” Sigyn whispered. Her anger evaporated and its place there was emptiness, confusion._

_“I killed her vessel,” Skuld corrected. “She will be reborn. I only wish to give her a better world to be born into.”_

_“I do not understand,” Sigyn said, shaking her head._

_Skuld raised her hand. “Oh, child. You have felt it. The pain. The misery. The suffering. The worlds are full of it. We feel… all of it. Does it not drive you mad? All I wish is to be rid of it.”_

_“By starting Ragnarok?” Sigyn asked, gesturing towards the altar. “By destroying the universe?”_

_“By remaking it,” Skuld replied, clenching her fist. “I will mold the universe into one without pain, or death. Without misery, or conflict, or any of the blight that the mortals have brought with them in their accursed existence.”_

_She stepped forward, holding her hands out to Sigyn. “I have done this for you,” she insisted. “I have done this for all of us. I have always wanted the best for you, my dear child. Even when I caused you pain, it was for the best.”_

_Sigyn recoiled away from Skuld. “You caused me pain?” she demanded._

_Skuld lowered her hands, her expression sad. “Yes, child. It was necessary. You learned my plans before they came to fruition. I tried to explain to you and you would not listen. I am sorry, but it was I who trapped you in a mortal vessel.”_

_“No,” Sigyn said unevenly. “Thanos. It was Thanos that killed me.”_

_“Thanos, at my request,” Skuld said, her voice still gentle. “I promised him the Tesseract in exchange. See? I have it here.” She twitched aside her cloak and showed Sigyn the cube, glowing blue and unearthly in the shadow of her cloak._

_Sigyn’s mind reeled with the revelation. “You,” she said. “It was you who tried to kill me on Earth. Twice.”_

_“I had not planned on your awakening at this time,” Skuld told her. “I only meant to put it off until after I had completed my task. You will see, Sigyn. When it is done, you will see I am right.”_

_Sigyn shook her head again. It was too much, to think that Skuld, the Eldest, the mother and sister, would do this, would act against the desires of the others. Skuld had admitted to killing two of the norns, Sigyn included, and yet her lagsmaðr did nothing. He merely stood there, his back to her._

_“What have you done to my lagsmaðr?” Sigyn demanded._

_Skuld’s smile faded from her face. “Oh, child. He never was yours.” She gestured sharply, and Loki turned around. His face was blank, his eyes empty of sentience. “I had need of his services for this day, and I took them, long before you were awakened. He knows no purpose but mine.”_

_Sigyn staggered backwards as if she had been struck. “What?” The word was strangled, dragged from a tight throat. She knew that norns could coerce lesser beings, bend them to their will, but this…_

_“He will start Ragnarok,” Skuld said, mindless of Sigyn’s horror. “You spoke these words. Ragnarok demands sacrifice, and he will give it.”_

_“No,” Sigyn said softly, stepping forward. “No. I will not let you do this, Skuld.”_

_“Child,” Skuld said sadly. “You could not stop me.” She looked at Loki. “Take up the knife,” she ordered, her voice cold and implacable. He turned, stepping through the unseen barrier of the megaliths._

_The Hall of Stars was a construct. It only existed in the minds of the norns, and they could bend it to their will. Sigyn reached out, bent space, and stepped through, appearing by the altar. Before Loki could reach the knife, she stretched out her hand and caught it up._

_It was cold as ice in her hand, and tried to turn towards her, seeking the heat of her blood. She tightened her grip on it, fighting to keep the point away from her. Skuld whirled around, eyes widening in shock._

_“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Sigyn! Put down the knife!”_

_“I will not let you do this,” Sigyn said, her hand shaking with the effort of holding the knife. “I will not let you destroy the universe.”_

_“I will remake it!” Skuld cried._

_“And it will be empty,” Sigyn replied, her teeth clenched. The cold from the knife traveled up her arm, numbing her fingers. “We were meant to be guardians, Skuld. You would make us guardians of nothing!”_

_“We have guarded,” Skuld spat, suddenly angry. “We have guarded and we have led and counseled and yet nothing!” She slashed her hand through the air. “Still these mortals spread misery and death in their wake and I will have no more of it!”_

_Sigyn’s gaze was drawn to Loki, where he stood rigid, waiting for an order to give him purpose. She reached out to him through their bond and received nothing in return. He was empty._

_He had not chosen her. He had only been following Skuld’s instruction. He had not given himself to her. What she had taken, it was against his will._

_Her stomach heaved at the thought and it took all her effort to swallow it back down. This was wrong, it was all wrong. Nothing was supposed to go like this. She held Ragnarok in her hand but she would not be able to resist it long enough to get help from her other sisters._

_“Loki,” she called. “Please. I need--I need your help. Please, if you can hear me--”_

_“Save your breath, child,” Skuld snapped. “He is nothing more than a shell, a tool.”_

_That small, tiny voice deep inside Sigyn that whispered that he might still hear her died a quiet death, along with the last of her hope._

Ragnarok demands sacrifice.

_Against all odds the human girl was still conscious within her, and Sigyn felt the strength behind the words._

You know what you need to do. You know how to stop her.

_What the child suggested, Sigyn trembled in fear and horror. To unleash it as a weapon… She did not know if she could control it, if it could even be controlled._

_“Take up the knife, Loki!” Skuld ordered, and Loki stepped forward again, striding towards Sigyn._

There’s no more time. Do it. Do it now.

_I sincerely hope you know what you are doing, Sigyn thought to her vessel, and loosened her grip on the knife. Ragnarok scented her blood and plunged into her stomach. For a moment the pain was white-hot, stealing her breath, and then the cold consumed her._

_“NO!” Skuld shrieked, but it was too late._

_There was a flash of red-black energy, flinging both norn and Asgardian off their feet. In the center of the megaliths, on the altar… Ragnarok took the form of a woman, once-pristine white dress now torn and stained with blood and dirt. Dark hair rippled around her head as if floating in water, and dark blue eyes had turned solid black._

Every cell in Darcy’s body burned with pain, more than when she’d been stabbed, more than when she’d been shot, or bitten by that damnable snake. It was enough to tear her to pieces but she held herself together.

Around her the universe swirled in unending circles; past, present, and future all happening at once, poured through her skull.

She saw Skuld in the Hall of Stars, saw Loki. She saw Steve and the Avengers in DC, gathered around her unconscious vessel. She saw Jane and Thor and Erik, held prisoner by Skuld in London. It was as if a storm of time raged on around her, inside her.

The noise of it was shattering. Every creature in the universe, past and present and future, cried out for her attention. Billions upon billions of souls, their lives stretched out before her. She saw all of them, _knew_ them, knew that she could snuff them out in an instant.

She felt herself shaking apart with the power, the noise, the pain. It was too much for her to contain, too much for her to control.

 _But you must_.

The norn had faith in her, trusted her. She had to do this. If she failed, the whole universe would be collateral damage.

Darcy reached her hand out to the storm. The substance of her fingers dissolved and reformed, scattered in the wind and drew back together. She stretched out, seeking for something familiar, for something to ground herself.

_Loki sprawls at Skuld’s feet, gawky limbs splayed in unconsciousness as she lays spells upon his mind, binding his consciousness._

Darcy recoiled from the image. No. That she did not want to see. She tried again, seeking something comforting, something to help her focus on controlling the power within her.

_Loki stands before Thanos at Skuld’s side. “He will bring you your Tesseract,” she says. “Order him and it will be done.” Loki is empty, but a shade of him lingers on, fighting to be released from the prison his body has become._

No, no, no, no. She can’t--she didn’t want to see this. It was too much.

_Loki sits on a battered couch, holding Darcy’s left arm in his left hand as he speaks the oath of binding. The shade of him is still fighting, struggling to get away, to be free. It claws at the back of Loki’s eyes, screams in a voice void of sound._

What had she done? This was her fault. This was all her fault. She had bonded him to her, against his will. Oh, god…

_Loki’s body makes love to her in Helke’s house on Rhia, and the shade of his free will lies in a corner, huddled in defeat and despair, no longer able to summon the energy to fight back. It cradles its head in its hands and weeps._

NO!

_Ragnarok moved from the altar to Skuld’s side in one step, and seized the norn by the throat. Skuld clawed at the blood-stained hand cutting off her air but Ragnarok was inexorable, lifting Skuld until her feet kicked uselessly at empty air._

_“Sigyn,” Skuld choked. “Release me.”_

_Solid black eyes, void of white or iris, stared implacably back at the norn. It spoke nothing, its fingers merely tightened over the tender throat beneath its grip. The storm around them raged on, and Skuld’s form began to fragment, dissolving into the wind and fury. The norn screamed and struggled, but it was for naught, and her body fragmented until it was lost in the wind._

_Loki, who had risen to his feet, fell like a puppet with its strings cut._

Darcy wanted to scream, but couldn’t remember how, couldn’t remember where her mouth was. Did she still have a mouth? She felt herself still in a body; two hands, two feet, eyes. She could see the altar, and the megaliths, and Loki lying motionless between them. Had she freed him? Or had she killed him? She didn’t know, couldn’t bring herself to go and check.

The storm grew, filled the Hall of Stars and beyond, raging through the universe. She saw it touch distant planets, saw them grow dark and full of blood. She watched the very stars begin to go out, one by one.

 _No._ No.

It was her and the norn. They were the same. Darcy/Sigyn reached out and drew the power back within her, drawing it away from the worlds. She would take it all in, she would hold it, bind it once more.

Ragnarok demanded sacrifice, and she would give it.

The life of a norn would be a worthy exchange. Ragnarok would take it, and be content to wait. The time would come to set it loose on the universe.

Now was not that time.

Darcy/Sigyn felt herself crumbling, pieces of her dissolving, becoming one with the storm. She had to hurry. If she waited too long she would be gone and there would be nothing to stop Ragnarok, nothing to stop the destruction.

The power slipped from her grasp as her fingers vanished, blowing away like smoke in a breeze. The fury of Ragnarok buffeted her, grinding her down into nothing…

_Loki stood before Ragnarok and reached out towards it with shaking hands. “Darcy,” he called over the sound of the storm, his voice hoarse, as if unused for years. “Darcy, you must let it go!”_

She could see Loki standing in front of her, and her heart leapt. He was alive. He was alive and he _knew_ her. She saw him struggle towards her against the fury of the storm, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t control the power enough to reach back for him.

_“Darcy, it will kill you!” Loki cried. “You must let it go!”_

He reached her, hands on her insubstantial shoulders. This was real. This grounded her. She focused on this, two points of contact, and she gathered the power up. She would hold it within her until it reformed, the knife in her stomach, binding it with her own life-force.

_Loki leaned down, hesitated for a fraction of a moment, and then kissed Ragnarok, covering its mouth with his own. The sound of the storm changed pitch, keening higher in… what is this? Desire? Love? Ragnarok did not know these emotions. They did not belong to the storm._

Darcy/Sigyn felt Loki kiss her, felt his mind and his soul and his being pressed against hers. She felt him drawing the power away from her, into himself, and she fought back against him. No. She would not sacrifice him to the power. He had not asked to be in this place. This wasn’t his choice.

“Darcy,” Loki said, and his was _inside_ her, as she was _inside_ him, one being in the center of the storm. “Let me do this. Let me save you.”

“You didn’t ask for this,” Darcy/Sigyn replied, and she would have wept, if only she still had eyes. “This wasn’t your choice.”

“It is now,” he told her, and he drew the power away from her again, sucking it like poison from a wound. “Don’t fight this,” he ordered. “Your life is more precious than mine.”

“Not to me,” she whispered.

“Your life is most precious of all,” he said. “Please, Darcy. Don’t fight me.”

She didn’t have the energy or the willpower to resist him and he slotted his mouth over hers again, draining the awful energy from her. She felt herself grow more real, more tangible, at the same time he became ethereal in her hands.

She’d started crying at some point, she didn’t know when. But she was still crying when he dissolved into nothing and the storm died into ringing silence, nothing left but an obsidian knife at her feet.

XxxXxxX

After everything, Darcy found comfort in the darkness. It was empty, void of emotion, void of thought. Just darkness. Just silence.

How long she drifted, she didn’t know. Occasionally she got flashes, of memory or prophecy she didn’t know, but they were mercifully brief and soon over.

She dreamed she saw the birth of a child, a sister, reborn into a new vessel.

She dreamed a woman held her hand and spoke to her, but she didn’t know if it was Wyrd or Joanna.

She dreamed of Yggdrasil like a vast, silver-trunked tree, the worlds nestled amid its branches as its leaves turned brittle and drifted away into darkness.

She dreamed of a child in her arms, of children’s laughter, the embrace of tiny arms and small hands enclosed in hers.

She did not dream of Loki.

In the end, the darkness consumed her.

XxxXxxX

It was the beeping that brought Darcy back from the darkness. She would have crawled back from the dead and out of her grave just to get it to stop. All she wanted was to be left in peace.

The first thing she noticed upon waking was that she was not in pain. In fact, she couldn’t feel anything from her chest down. She was completely numb. She wiggled her toes experimentally. She was pretty sure they moved, but she couldn’t feel it.

When she opened her eyes, the light was so bright after so long in the darkness that it brought tears and pain, and she had to screw them closed again. Her senses gradually returned enough for her to realize she was lying in a narrow hospital cot, her right arm strapped down, and there was a oxygen cannula in her nostrils.

After a moment she tried opening her eyes again, and looked around. She was in a white-walled medical room she recognized as the being in the Triskelion, and Jane sat in a chair next to her bed, reading listlessly from a textbook. She glanced up when the beeping changed and saw that Darcy’s eyes were open.

“Oh, hey!” Jane said, closing her book and leaning forward, reaching for Darcy’s left hand. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

Darcy blinked a couple of times. “Numb,” she said, her voice hoarse and dry. Jane got a cup of water from the table and held the straw to Darcy’s lips.

“That’s good,” Jane said as Darcy drank. “You were in surgery for thirteen hours.”

Darcy frowned up at Jane. “What?”

The astrophysicist looked hesitant for a moment, brow furrowed. “They said you were stabbed in the stomach. That it just appeared. You were fine one moment, and then…”

Darcy blinked again and tugged at her right arm. Jane put the cup down. “You kept yanking out your IV,” she explained.

“How long…?” Darcy tried to ask, but ran out of strength halfway through the question.

“You’ve been unconscious for almost six days,” Jane told her softly.

Darcy swallowed thickly. “Loki?” she asked.

Jane licked her lips nervously. “He--disappeared. He just vanished from the cage. They--they can’t find him.”

Tears overflowed down Darcy’s cheeks but she was too weak to actually cry. She closed her eyes and let the darkness take her.

XxxXxxX

Her parents were waiting when she woke up next. They tried to ask her what had happened but she refused to say anything. She was just going to have to repeat it again and she only felt like saying it once. Steve arrived six minutes after she woke up and she finally told him everything that had happened in halting sentences.

She didn’t cry.

She didn’t cry when the doctors told her that she had miscarried, that she’d suffered extensive damage to her uterus, that it was unlikely she’d ever have children.

She didn’t cry when Agent Sitwell tried to interview her the moment Steve’s back was turned, or when Clint punched him out to get him to leave.

She didn’t cry when she told Thor about what had been done to Loki, and what he had done to save her.

She didn’t cry when the pain medication wore off and she refused to ask for more, ignored the pain pump until the nurse finally noticed her blood pressure was elevated and they had to sedate her.

She didn’t cry.

XxxXxxX

Darcy sat in the wheelchair in front of the window, staring out over the city. She picked nervously at the blanket spread over her legs. They’d only let her out of the hospital cot on the condition that she took her hourly doses of pain meds, and she was so desperate she’d finally conceded.

Jane and Steve had been tag teaming her, never letting her out of their sight, but Steve was at some briefing and Jane was in a meeting with R&D about some kind of space event that had occurred last night, so for the moment Darcy was alone.

There were guards outside her door, but the door was closed and she had already strongly suggested that they not disturb her under any circumstances. Darcy held out her hands about a foot apart, palms facing each other, and concentrated for a moment.

The Tesseract appeared between her palms, hovering in midair and glowing unearthly blue. It let off a faint hum that was felt more than heard, vibrating in Darcy’s chest and the back of her teeth. She stared at it for a long moment.

She could give it back to SHIELD, but the Cube was already steeped in so much bloodshed, and if it remained in Human hands it would only shed more. No, she would need to find a more suitable hiding place for it. She wished she could destroy it, but not even Ragnarok could accomplish that.

Ragnarok had already done the impossible. It had killed a norn. Skuld was dead, her power and her memory gone completely, forever.

It was unthinkable, a norn dead. And at the hands of another norn. The Sisterhood would never forgive her for what she had done, despite what Skuld had been trying to do. If Darcy had tried harder, had cared less about her lagsamðr, if she’d been stronger… maybe Skuld wouldn’t have had to die.

But it was too late. Darcy had murdered her sister, and she would have to live with that for eternity.

Darcy waved her hands apart, making the Tesseract vanish back to her pocket dimension. This was her burden, now. Her penance for what had happened, what she had been party to.

The door behind her opened without the courtesy of a knock, but Darcy knew who it was when he was still halfway down the hall.

“Miss Lewis,” Nick Fury said.

Darcy didn’t acknowledge him, her hands going back to picking at the blanket. She heard heavy footsteps, and then he joined her at the window.

“Seems like you and me have a lot to discuss,” he went on.

“I already told Steve what happened,” Darcy said in a dull voice.

“Yeah, and it was quite a story,” Nick said, looking down at her with his single eyes. She continued to stare out the window. “If anyone other than Cap tried to sell it to me, I wouldn’t have bought it.”

Darcy shrugged. She didn’t care what SHIELD did or didn’t believe. It wasn’t her problem. Not anymore.

“I also had a discussion with Thor,” Nick said. “He told me I’d be upsetting a lot of very powerful people if I didn’t treat you with a certain… respect.”

Darcy shrugged again. She could sense his annoyance at her refusal to cooperate, which was part of the reason she was doing it.

“So, for that reason we’ve decided not to detain you,” Nick told her.

“You’re so kind,” Darcy said sarcastically. “You know you couldn’t have held me even if you had wanted to, right?”

“That’s what I’m told,” Nick replied, eying her unhappily. “But we’re not going to forget that you’re the reason we lost the Tesseract.”

“I’m not the reason you lost the Tesseract,” Darcy snapped. “You lost the Tesseract because an extremely old, extremely pissed-off entity went off the deep end. I’m the reason the whole damn universe didn’t end.”

“So says you,” Nick said, his expression dubious.

“Whatever,” Darcy muttered, clenching her fists in the blanket. “If the only reason you came down here was some kind of chest-thumping display of dominance, you can fuck right off. I’m a little preoccupied with having a giant hole in my abdomen.”

Nick sniffed and crossed his arms. “Well, I _was_ going to offer you the services of a SHIELD physical therapist, but now I’m rethinking that decision.”

“Don’t bother,” Darcy said with a sneer. “I’m not going to be on Earth for much longer.”

Nick eyed her for a moment longer. “Uh-huh,” he finally said. “Well, any time you deign to return the the world of us mortals, be sure to let us know. We’d like to keep tabs on your whereabouts for the time being.”

“Sure,” Darcy said, a clear dismissal.

He looked as if he was going to say something else, and then decided against. He left the room with a swoop of his leather trench coat. Darcy unclenched her fists slowly, releasing the bunched fabric. There was so much anger boiling under the surface now. It felt as if she was always one frayed nerve from lashing out with all her power.

It was wrong. It should be like this. Ragnarok had...changed her. She wasn’t _Darcy_ anymore, but neither was she _Sigyn_. She was something else. Something… darker. She just hoped she didn’t hurt anyone before she managed to leave.

XxxXxxX

They let her try walking for the first time two weeks after Ragnarok, just a few steps around her room. But after that she started practicing, pushing herself further and harder when the nurses weren’t looking. She wasn’t staying a moment longer with SHIELD than she absolutely had to.

In fact, she was pacing back and forth in her room, dragging her IV stand, when Jane barged into her room with a small food cooler, her phone balanced between her shoulder and her ear.

“I hear what you’re saying, Erik, but _I’m_ saying it’s not possible,” she was saying. “A star can’t simply _disappear_. Yes. Yes, I realize that. Yes, I realize that, too, but this is different.” She looked up and saw Darcy standing in the middle of the room and scowled. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “No, not you, Erik. Darcy’s out of bed when she shouldn’t be. I’ll have to call you back.” She put down the cooler and shoved her phone into her pocket.

“Seriously, you shouldn’t be out of bed,” Jane chided. “You need to rest.”

“I need to be able to walk,” Darcy griped, but let Jane herd her back to the hospital cot.

“You are the worst patient I have ever known,” Jane said, tucking Darcy in and going back for the cooler. “Thankfully, I have bribes.” She pulled out two pints of ice cream, one chocolate brownie chunk and the other chocolate chip cookie dough. She held them both out to Darcy.

Darcy narrowed her eyes and chose the cookie dough. “Why am I being bribed?” she asked.

“A little bird told me you were planning on leaving,” Jane said, offering Darcy a plastic spoon. She took it suspiciously.

“Leaving?” Darcy echoed.

  
“Yeah. Leaving Earth,” Jane said, and plopped down in the chair next to Darcy’s bed.

“Oh.” Darcy looked down. “Yeah. Kinda.”

Jane studied Darcy for a long moment. “Are you going to Asgard?” she asked.

Darcy looked up, startled. “You’re not going to try to talk me out of it?” she asked, surprised.

Jane shook her head. “Look, Darce, if I’d gone through what you did, I’d want some space, too. Maaaaybe not ‘going to another planet’ space, but eh,” she shrugged. “The bribe is to make sure you come back.”

Darcy lifted the cardboard package. “Of course I’ll come back. Earth is the only planet with ice cream.”

Jane pressed her lips together. “You don’t have to do that,” she said quietly.

Darcy frowned. “Do what?”

“Pretend you’re okay. Pretend nothing happened. You almost _died_ , Darcy. _Again_. And you lost… you lost Loki. And you lost--”

“ _Don’t_ ,” Darcy snarled before Jane could finish her sentence. She didn’t want to think about it. Didn’t want to talk about it. Finding out she’d miscarried… it had almost been a relief. She couldn’t stomach the thought of bringing that child into the world. Not after she’d known Loki had been enslaved, coerced.

She tried not to think about _that_ , either, because she had promised herself she wouldn’t cry again, that she was strong enough to survive this. If she thought about how all of it had been a lie, then she would completely break down.

She had a mission. She needed to see it through.

“I have to go,” Darcy said out loud, her voice calmer. She couldn’t tell Jane the truth, not with SHIELD listening in. “For… personal reasons. I need to sort some things out.”

“I get that,” Jane said, nodding. “I just want you to promise me you will come back.”

Darcy smiled faintly. “Of course I’ll come back. This is my home.”

Jane nodded again. “Okay. Good. Now eat your ice cream before the nurse comes in here and takes it away.”

XxxXxxX

_She could see the stars scattered across the void like jewels against blackest velvet. They were all connected by a network of silver lines, Ways between the worlds fashioned along the branches of the World Tree._

_As she watched she saw a star wink out, its silver pathways dissolving into sparkling dust, and then to nothing. Then another star blinked out of existence, and a third, a splotch of darkness spreading across the universe. It was creeping slowly closer, inexorable, implacable._

_The presence, the ancient and familiar one, pressed at her mind, trying to make its message known. For the first time she saw it in her mind’s eye. Shaped like a Human, but not, its body covered in silver bark and green leaves and twisting, brown vines. Its face had no features other than glowing, green-gold eyes._

_It reached for her, trying to draw her close, but the more it stretched, the further away she became. She struggled to go towards it. She needed to hear its message._

_She saw a flash of sun-bleached sky, the taste of dry, arid air, the scent of sand. Palm trees. A wall. No, a well._

_Come._

_The word resonated within her._

_Come and be known._

Darcy woke up shaking, her pajamas soaked in sweat. Her stomach throbbed with pain and she scrambled for the pain pump on the nightstand. The dream stayed vivid in her mind like a memory only just lived. She could still feel sand gritting between her teeth.

She had to leave. She had to leave soon. Something was coming; something dark and vast. She had to be ready.

It was coming for her.


End file.
